Wings Of Arcadia
by Axel'sChakrams8
Summary: A ressurected enemy compells Sora and the gang to explore new worlds in search of a man named Cyrus, discoverer of Arcadia. But what exactly is this legandary place and what will become of the heroes as they meet new people and a band of assassins? Some errors are being fixed. Writing style improves over time ;)
1. A New Beginning

**Okay, after coming up with a cool idea, planning stuff out, and finally working up the guts to start typing, I have decided to begin my first fanfic: _Wings of Arcadia. _Yay!**

**Alrighty, since this _is_ my first one, constructive criticism is very much appreciated. I consider myself more of an artist than a writer, but I've been told that I am at least semi-literate, so I'll try this thing out! Please be courteous and don't flame me unless I deserve it. Let's begin, shall we?**

_**Please note that I will seem very hyper during the author's notes in the first few chapters. I am currently in the process of editing my story, so some chapters might look better than others. I'll keep the skits, though, because some people seem to like them… Enjoy, everyone!**_

**(Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts. If I did, you would know it. That and Axel wouldn't have died, and if he did anyway, I would have _at least_ give you a hint that he will return)**

* * *

Chapter 1: A New Beginning

It was sunset on Destiny Islands.

In Sora's opinion, it was definitely the most beautiful time of day. From here, the horizon was dominated by an ocean of the deepest, cleanest blue, and the golden sun lit up the clouds with varying shades of fiery pink, orange and purple. Anyone standing on the beach right now would completely mesmerized by the breathtaking sight, which for Sora, was probably the stupidest thing to do right at this particular moment…

Suddenly, his eyes blinked in surprise and he shook his brunette-spiked head, quickly snapping out of his trance. Sora's reflexes took over as he brought up his arms to obstruct the path of an oncoming keyblade with one of his own. Had he not done this, his opponent's weapon would have collided with his skull, and he would have had to deal with one or two painful bumps for at least a week. Looking up, he saw…

"Pay attention, Sora", said a girl's voice teasingly.

…it was Kairi.

Sora and Kairi pushed away from each other momentarily, putting some dueling distance between themselves. The beach was now littered with footprints made from the two teen's sparring match. Now standing resolutely in front of Sora was a smirking, blue-eyed, red-headed Kairi, who was wielding a potentially dangerous keyblade sporting a floral design. Well, red wasn't exactly the most accurate way of describing Kairi's hair, it was really more of a maroon, scarlet-ish color, like wine. The current light setting made half of it blaze gold. It really did look nice today…

_No, pay attention, _Sora reminded himself. If he kept zoning out like this, he would be unable to sit down without wincing in pain for a long time.

Sora rushed forward, swinging his Kingdom Key at his friend, who back stepped the first attack and brought up her own keyblade to deflect his second strike. _Predictable_, thought Kairi. Swiping Sora's keyblade from her path, Kairi kept the speed of the fight going by continuing to rapidy strike at him.

Sora dodged left, right, and then hooked the teeth of his keyblade in the edges of Kairi's and forced it down in front of him.

Taking advantage of this, Sora flicked his keyblade up and above Kairi's head, succeeding in forcing her keyblade from her grasp. Kairi's surprised eyes darted to her airborne weapon and, without thinking, bent her knees and began doing a backwards handspring in the same direction. She did one, two, three, handsprings and then launched into a back flip and met her keyblade in the air, catching it and landing neatly.

_Whoa, I didn't teach her that!_

A new voice accompanied by clapping broke Sora's stunned expression."Hey, not bad!" cheered a silver-headed Riku.

Riku was Sora's best friend. They had grown up together on Destiny Islands along with Kairi and became friendly rivals. They were always racing and sword fighting to see who was better; Riku had won more often than Sora, but Sora was too laid back to care too much. Riku had always envied how Sora followed his heart and never had a care in the world about anything else. His ocean-green eyes now shone with extreme amusement. "Where did you learn to do that, Kairi?"

"Gymnastics", she replied casually.

_Oh, right. _They had been gone for a little over a year. Who knew what Kairi had been doing by herself this whole time?

This was Kairi's "official" combat exam. About two weeks ago, they had received a letter from King Mickey.

Panting, Kairi had run halfway across their small, neighboring island carrying a bottle containing a rolled piece of paper stamped with the King's seal- three circles intersecting to look like his head and ears. Kairi didn't think she had been this excited in her life, or at least for about a month. She had found Riku and Sora talking by the Poupu tree, whose star-shaped fruit was legendary. Kairi had called Sora's name to get his attention and held out the bottle.

"The King's seal!" he exclaimed as he spotted the emblem. Sora now officially held Riku's attention. Sora had eagerly snatched up the bottle from Kairi as she fought to catch her breath, popping out the cork and unfurling the message. The three of them had stood there, reading the letter held in Sora's hands:

_Dear Sora, Riku, and Kairi,_

_Sorry to disturb you guys so soon, but it looks like we've got more trouble. I can't write too much in this letter, but there's been a Heartless attack in Radiant Garden, and it reveals a possibly disastrous problem. Cid and Leon are coming to pick the three of you up and bring you to Disney Castle in two weeks. We'll discuss the details there._

_-Mickey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_

That was only a month after their last adventure. Sora was so happy to finally go back home with his friends.

After constantly having to search for Riku and Kairi, defeating Ansem, taking down Organization XIII, and having one final, devastating battle with Xemnas, thereby saving the worlds from imminent doom, Sora and the others were looking forward to a well-deserved break.

_But it just came too soon…_

He couldn't blame this all on King Mickey for sending them the message, but _seriously_, couldn't they just get a break?

And now that Kairi was coming along this time, Sora wanted to make sure she was ready. There wasn't much use hiding it now. He had feelings for her. He knew it. She knew it. Everyone knew it.

_If something happened to her…_ the thought terrified him.

Grudgingly, Sora had allowed Kairi to be trained to better use her keyblade. Kairi quickly learned to defend herself, and surprised them both with her grace. He felt better about it now than before, but he still couldn't shake that feeling. And so, Sora vowed that if this got dangerous, he wasn't letting Kairi out of his sight…

He was ripped violently from his thoughts when Kairi dashed at him from seemingly out of nowhere.

Caught off guard, Sora barely had time to raise his keyblade before him to block her strike. In one fluid motion, Kairi exploited her advantage and spun low while extending her leg, aiming in for his ankles.

Sora had one split-second to think, _what the-?_ before promptly falling down and landing hard on the sand, face up. When he opened his eyes, Kairi was standing above him, smirking, her keyblade positioned inches from his face.

Sora, too stunned to say anything, was staring at it.

Riku couldn't help but grin and shake his head as he stood up. _Wow, Sora. Owned by your own girlfriend... _Although the term "girlfriend" was thus far unofficial. "Well," he chimed in, breaking the stunned silence," I think Kairi passed her little exam, don't you, Sora?"

Sora sputtered, at a loss for words. It seemed his mouth had stopped working. When he was finally able to string together a sentence, he got up. "C'mon, no fair! I wasn't paying attention!"

"And whose fault was that, Sora?" answered Kairi, who had expected him to say something along those lines.

Riku approached them so that he, Sora and Kairi formed a triangle on the beautiful expanse of sand. _Oh, this is just too funny…_ he thought.

Sora looked down and scratched the back of his head, embarrassed. "Yeah, well…"

Kairi and Riku stared at him expectantly.

"Okay," Sora finally sighed, "you passed."

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" Kairi chanted as she jumped up and down excitedly.

A laughing voice filled Sora's head. An image of a boy with a mess of blonde, spiky hair and piercing blue eyes appeared before his thoughts.

Roxas.

_Ugh, come on, Roxas…_ Sora said telepathically.

It took at moment for the voice to stop laughing. _Sorry man, but, you just got your butt handed to you, _it said in a joking tone.

_Just cut it out_, Sora pleaded as he put his head into his hand.

_The Great Keyblade Wielder, who twice saved the worlds from destruction, taken down by his own girlfriend!_

_Kairi's not my girlfriend, and shut up…_, sighed Sora, pushing Roxas's voice away.

Since Sora and Roxas were basically a part of each other, Roxas being Sora's Nobody, he had to learn to get along with him, seeing as how he couldn't just lock the boy in his room. Roxas usually stayed in his Station of Awakening, a large, shimmering stained glass platform showing his sleeping form holding a keyblade. There were two smaller circles near the head of his sleeping image. One of them contained a portrait of a man with emerald green eyes and inverted teardrop tattoos below them. For what could be seen of his shoulders, this man was wearing a black sort of coat, which included a hood. The most prominent detail about this person, however, was his mane of fiery red hair, spiked out away from his face.

It was Axel.

An aching sort of pain gripped Roxas around the heart whenever he thought about his best friend. Axel had given himself up to save Sora in his last adventure. Surrounded by literally thousands of Dusks, Axel had unleashed a mighty torrent of fire, his element, and completely obliterated the enemy Nobodies.

But it used up all of his very being to do it.

Behind the lenses of Sora's eyes, Roxas had watched his best friend for the last time as he opened up a portal for Sora to continue and then faded away, the last of his strength gone…

He had told Sora about Axel and what he had been trying to do, and about how he and Roxas were friends. This explained why Sora had felt so terrible when Axel faded, and he did his best to comfort Roxas. Axel's portrait looked peaceful now…

The second circle, though, confused Roxas. Where there might have been a face, it was fogged and gray as if something was clouding whatever used to be there. I didn't make any sense; Axel was Roxas's only friend in the Organization, as far as he could remember… So what was this circle for?

Though when he got bored, Roxas could come out of Sora for a little while, but he looked like a shimmering see-through ghost, so he didn't come out unless they were alone. Not that he could physically interact with anything anyway… Still, he enjoyed popping out at random intervals and scaring the "crap out of Sora", as he often put it.

Sora, Riku, and Kairi spent the remaining part of their last day on the islands sitting on the ridiculously curved Poupu tree, watching in silence as the blazing orb of gold sank into the horizon, slowly taking its light with it.

Suddenly, the trio heard a soft humming sound. They looked around them, trying to place where such a foreign could be coming from…

But then Sora remembered where he had heard it before. The humming grew louder, and Sora looked up, locating the familiar object and pointing his finger high above his head.

"It's the Gummiship!" he exclaimed. Right on cue, and slightly to the right, appeared a glimmering red aircraft, which was bearing down on them with incredible speed. The gummiship's blocky sort of body didn't look very aerodynamic, but it had some amazing way of defying those natural laws and still performing with impossible agility. As the Gummiship drew near, it zoomed over their heads, engines roaring, and descended in a clearing on the other side of some trees. The three teens looked at each other and nodded. This was it. Two short weeks of last-minute preparations, and they were leaving their home,_ again_.

As they set a course for the spacecraft, Sora suddenly stopped. Noticing that they could no longer hear his footsteps, Riku and Kairi halted and turned to look at their friend. He turned to look once again at the dying sunset, and Kairi gave Riku a quick glance. Riku nodded in understanding and, after giving Kairi an encouraging look, turned and headed toward the awaiting gummiship.

Kairi stood next to Sora and took his hand in hers.

"It'll be okay," she comforted. "We'll come back soon, don't worry."

Sora finally managed to tear his gaze from the darkening sky and met Kairi's eyes. "Right", he said, trying to assure her that he was fine.

The two lingered for a moment more before turning and walking together toward the gummiship.

* * *

**Meanwhile**, a cloaked man observes from inside a dimly lit room. Even in the darkness, the man's head is clearly covered with flowing, silver locks, his hood hanging down.

Chained to one corner hangs a figure, secluded in an even darker part of the chamber.

It might be just a trick of the light, or lack of light thereof, but one might swear that this figure has a pair of angellic wings sprouting from his back. He hung there with his strange appendages drooping low, tightly bound by his hands and feet with magical chains.

The tall, dark man turns away from a glowing silver orb showing Sora and Kairi climbing the extendable ramp into the Gummiship, and smirks at his prisoner.

His deep, smooth voice awakes the sleeping man.

"The heroes are on their way at last. All is going according to plan…"

In the darkness, the man tugs at his bonds weakly, before lifting up his head and opening up his pale, sightless eyes to meet his captor's golden-amber ones, and a shiver of dread runs through him.

* * *

**Oooh, what's going on here?**

**You're just gonna have to wait until next chapter to find out!**

**Well, maybe not next chapter, but yeah… Dang, I got shivers writing that last part, and I'm the author! I know I changed the verb tense to present at the end, I just wanted to do that for some reason.**

**Oh, and by the way, *cough* not a romantic author*cough* I am not big on the mush-gushy stuff; I just added that bit in there to get Sora to stop being so freaking emo! Don't worry, he should loosen up!**

**So, leave some comments and tell me what you thought! I'll be putting up the next chapter as soon as I can.**

**Man, it took me forever to write this… Five inconsecutive hours! I am such a slow typer…. And why do I dislike this chapter so much? Did I do something wrong?**

**(Axel portals in) **

**Axel: Alexa, what're ya gonna do?**

**Me: O_o ...OMG IT'S AXEL! (Faints)**

**Axel: You know, it still really bugs me... Something about this chapter just stinks!**

**Me: (Gets back up) Pffft, yeah, tell me about it... My first attempt at a fanfic and I'm freaking out all day long. Do all authors get like this? I'm starting to question my sanity.**

**Axel: WHAT'S YOUR PROBLEM?**

**Me: AHH! Jeez, no need to yell!**

**Axel: But I'm not in it!**

**Me: Well at least I mentioned you. -_-'**

**Axel: Yeah, you talked about how _sad Roxas felt about me,_ not about how awesome I am! :P (pretend this is an angry face, it wont save it)**

**Me: Ugh, would you just chill, you big Flaming Tomato-Head? (yes, I just dissed my favorite character)**

**(Axel's hair catches on fire) Grrrrrrrrrr... :( (Again, angry face)**

**Me: Heheheh...heheh... RUN, RUN AWAY!**


	2. The Meeting

**Hi everyone! I feel better today, so I decided to update! **

**I am having some issues with trying to figure out how to actually update, but if this chapter gets up, it means that I'll be okay. Btw, have you noticed how it doesn't really seem to matter to the parents if their kids go off on a dangerous adventure? I mean seriously, Sora's mom has, like, two lines in the whole series. What the heck?**

**Okay, DaniPotterCedric'sGirl, I read your review on the night after I posted the first chapter, and let me just say that it totally saved my life! Thank you sooo much, this chapter's for you!**

**Also, Roxas key 6, yes, I know that i was explaining crap that you should already know. I just wanted to make sure that other readers knew the story, and yeah, what are the odds of some random guy breaking in and hitting me w/ a baseball bat? Idk, but he would be the first to hit the floor, not me, lol, I'd sick Axel on him!**

**Thanks x-sparklegurl1997-x for agreeing on the squiggles~~~~!**

**Oh and hi Sam! Thanks for reading this!I am now wearing my awesomely fluffy pajama socks. Yay!**

**Okay, without further ado (spelling?), let's begin! (And now that the intro is done, things will get more exciting!)**

**Oh, and the disclaimer still stands, but the new characters are owned by me. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`**

* * *

As Sora and Kairi got onboard the Gummiship, Cid, who was typing furiously on the monitor at the pilot's seat, turned around to greet them, his signature piece of straw (or toothpick) sticking out the side of his mouth.

"There you kids are." (And here Sora objected to being referred to as a child, but Cid simply waved him off). Near the front windshield, leaning up against a wall, Leon looked up and simply acknowledged them with a nod.

"Well anyway, King Mickey wants you guys to come to a little meeting at the castle, so we'll be heading out as soon as you're all ready." He then turned back to facing forward and began running the launch sequence and checking various, complicated functions.

Sora walked further into the room and noticed Riku, who was already getting comfortable in one of the passenger seats near the back. He decided to go see Leon while he waited for Cid to finish double checking everything. Leon stood up straight and brushed a lock of chestnut hair out of his storm-blue eyes, revealing the scar running diagonally across his face. "So, what's going on? Did something bad happen in Hollow Ba- I mean, Radiant Garden?" asked Sora.

Leon nodded. "Yeah, it was a heartless attack, "but seeing the look of anticipation on Sora's face, Leon added, "But don't worry, everything was okay. It's probably better if we go over the details at the meeting." But something in his face told Sora that something else was bothering him. Sora watched him as he walked over to where Cid was sitting.

"Are we almost ready?" he asked the blonde. "Yep," Cid answered, "Alright, kiddos, fasten your seatbelts!" He then pulled a red leaver and pushed a few buttons scattered around the control panel.

Leon then seated himself in one of the co-pilot chairs on either side of Cid, Sora and Kairi went over to sit by Riku. Cid looked back over at them one last time as the engines began to fire up, filling the air with a loud, rumbling din. "And here we go!" he announced.

Suddenly, Sora felt a powerful sense of vertigo as the spacecraft lurched into the air and began its ascent. The Gummiship rose about a hundred feet before turning almost all the way around and tilting itself towards the evening sky, beginning to pick up speed rapidly. Sora could feel his stomach drop as the Gummiship accelerated and he sank back into his seat. With some effort, he turned his head and saw that both Riku and Kairi were affected by the alarming speed even more than himself, owing to the fact that they had never actually been in a Gummiship. Eyes wide open; the two looked a step above terrified.

He cracked a huge grin at this and began to laugh and whoop loudly as if riding a rollercoaster, hands up. As the Gummiship exited the atmosphere of Destiny Islands, its speed stabilized and the deafening roar of the engines subsided, their vibrations no longer making the world seem to shake up and down violently.

Cid hit a couple of switches and began steering the Gummiship to their destination. He looked up and said, "We should arrive at Disney Castle in an hour or two." He paused and then added, "You are now free to move about the cabin."

Sora looked over at his companions. Both Riku and Kairi were frozen in fear, arms rigidly planted at their sides, holding their armrests in a death grip and breathing fast. After a few seconds, Riku began to recover, followed by Kairi**.** Sora chuckled and assured them that they would soon get used to it.

It was only a few minutes into the trip to the castle, and Sora was already bored. Looking over at Riku, he suddenly got an idea. Putting his fingers up to his face, he called out to Riku.

"Hey Riku, look!" Riku turned in his seat to see Sora looking at him with one eye closed and his index finger and thumb making a pinching motion in front of the other one.

"I squish your head," he said, grinning, as he opened and closed the narrow gap between his fingers. Riku rolled his eyes. _Ugh, same old Sora,_ he thought.

* * *

**An hour and a half later…**

An extremely bored Sora was sprawled out in his chair, racking his brain for something to do. He would annoy Riku or something, but Riku had already had enough and threatened that he would seriously maim Sora if he didn't leave him alone. He stared blankly out the window at passing stars and an occasional world. He opened his mouth to say something, but was instantly cut off by an exasperated Riku.

"Sora, if you say 'Are we there yet?' one more time, you're going to wake up in the morning with pink hair." At this, he immediately shut up.

Kairi lifted her head off her fist and turned to Riku. "So, what do you think?" she asked. Riku looked up from his thoughts and turned to the other two. "I think something's up," he said in a low voice.

At this, Sora was suddenly interested. "What do you mean, 'Something's up'?"

Riku looked directly at Sora. "The attack on Radiant Garden," he answered. "The city has its own self-defense system; it should have been ready for something like this. So how did the heartless get in? Sora considered what Riku had said for a moment. "Yeah… wonder what happened..."

Their conversation was suddenly interrupted by Leon informing them that they were just about to land. With the weight of the previous subject hanging over them, the three buckled their seatbelts once again as the Gummiship swiftly began to lose altitude and was directed to the landing in the courtyard of a massive white and blue castle. They had finally arrived.

The exit hatch opened with an upward sliding motion and the ramp leading to the ground extended out from beneath it.

Walking out, the group found themselves in a busy factory-looking kind of room. Multicolored gears of all sizes were sticking out along the walls, rotating to power whatever functions the landing bay offered. A long conveyor belt stretched across the ceiling, from which hung several oversized mechanical hands wearing white gloves used to pick up various objects when needed. Walking out of the entrance to meet them was Queen Minnie and Daisy Duck.

"Hi there!" greeted Sora with a huge grin and a wave as they were approached. Riku flicked Sora hard on the head.

"Ouch! What was that for?" Sora complained. Riku gestured to the two ladies in front of them with a scolding look.

Once again, Sora had forgotten that they were in the domain of royalty. The others bowed in respect to Queen Minnie and Daisy, who still only came up to about waist-height. Sora followed suite thinking, _Isn't that the same pink dress she wore the last ten times I saw her? _Daisy's dress was also still as purple as before.

"Thank you very much for coming everyone," Queen Minnie said in a calm and outrageously high-pitched voice.

"Nice to see you again," said Sora after he finally stopped rubbing his head. Minnie nodded, smiling serenely

"So, when's this meeting?" Riku asked them. Daisy turned to him and explained.

"The King will see you in the meeting room in about an hour. You are free to do what you please while you wait."

"Yes!" exclaimed Sora pumping a fist into the air. After being bored out of his mind for over an hour with nothing to do, Sora was very excited to get to roam all of the many hallways of Disney castle that he never got to visit before. "C'mon guys, let's go!" he prodded. So they all departed from the landing bay and walked across the circular garden, which was decorated with several bushes trimmed to look like the cartoon-ish animals that lived there. However, it was already dark out and the path to the castle doors was lined with lanterns of different colors, which had holes of the King's crest cut into them to allow the light to pass through the paper. Dogs dressed in steel armor and walking on their hind legs were patrolling the walls, the crickets chirped happily.

As they walked, Sora's extreme hyper- activeness caused him to trip over his own black oversized shoes. Riku smirked, rolled his ocean colored eyes, and promptly stepped over the fallen mess of brown spikes and walked through the entrance to the castle. The others giggled and snorted, stepping around him to go occupy themselves.

* * *

**Exactly fifty-eight minutes later~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

It was almost time for the meeting to start and everyone had gathered in a large, highly decorated antechamber with a huge golden chandelier casting light on the many overstuffed benches lining the circular walls. There were at least thirty other guests here, many of whom did not look like they belonged in this world, probably representatives, all chatting away about something. The strange walking broom servants were running about, delivering trays loaded with yummy-looking snacks. Everyone had gathered there that is, except for a certain mischievous Keyblade Wielder.

"Ugh, where _IS_ he?"

Riku only shrugged in response. They were going to move into the actual meeting room in only two minutes and Sora was nowhere to be found. Kairi was currently freaking out over his absence, pacing back and forth, patience withering

"He knows he's supposed to be here, Minnie gave him the directions to the antechamber!" Donald and Goofy had since joined Riku and Kairi and were also wondering where in Kingdom Hearts could he be?

"Maybe he got lost," suggested a dopey-sounding Goofy.

"He's gonna miss it! Who's the one who let him wander around by himself?" exclaimed Kairi, all patience finally cracking.

"Don't worry, Kairi, Sora'll make it! Everything will be fine," comforted the feathered magician. It took Riku a moment to understand what he had said because of his strange speech impediment. Kairi gave the duck a hopeful look.

"He's doomed," said Riku, arms folded resignedly.

Kairi slammed her forehead into the wall. Donald and Goofy scowled at Riku.

* * *

**Meanwhile**...

_I'm doomed!_

Sora dashed headlong through an endless corridor lined with colorful doors. His footfalls were loud and echoing off the marble walls and his crown-shaped pendant was bouncing all around, making a soft jingling sound. Coming to an intersection of hallways, he halted, jogging in place and looking left and right.

_I'm late, I'm late, I'm late, I'm late, I'm late, I'm late!_, was his mantra. A voice appeared before his thoughts and he once again saw Roxas's form flash through his mind.

_You just had to get us lost, didn't you?_, sighed the voice._ I told you not to stray too far from the antechamber, but did you listen? NO._

_It's not my fault all these hallways look exactly the same!_, Sora pleaded. _Come on, Roxas, help me!_

_Roxas was very amused at how Sora so closely resembled the white rabbit in Wonderland. _

_Uhh… go that way! _Roxas mentally pointed. Turning right, Sora rushed down another identically decorated hallway. He made another sharp right after going a long ways down this one, but was met with even more choices.

_Crap._

Panting, Sora stood there bent over almost double trying to absorb enough oxygen into his lungs, a terrible cramp was starting to build up in his ribs. "What….does he do….with all these hallways…?" he coughed out incredulously.

_Dang it….. Hey, ask that guy!_ Roxas told his counterpart.

Sora scanned the space in front of him and spotted a mop walking around, hefting two heavy looking buckets of water. Sora ran up to it to ask directions. "Hey, could you point me to antechamber? I'm reeeeealy in a rush," he said, running in place again. The bewitched mop placed its load on the floor and thought for a moment. Then it snapped its fingers as if remembering something and mimed a response. The living cleaning utensil pointed further down an expanse of hallway to the left and then made a wide arch with its hands, then another a motion as if opening a door.

"Down this hallway, look for a big door, got it!" Sora translated and began down the new path while waving behind him. "Thanks a lot, bye!"

Sora glanced at a passing grandfather clock as he ran.

_Sixty seconds…come on, come on…._

**By** now, the antechamber had quieted considerably; everyone was hushing up now, waiting to be called into the meeting room.

Riku had settled himself up against a wall, Kairi was looking anxiously from the clock to the door and back. Despite Riku's attempts to calm her down, Kairi was just about ready to flip.

_When I get my hands around his neck, I'm gonna-_

But suddenly the enormous oak doors burst open and a perspiring young boy came crashing through them. Sora stopped running and nearly sank to the ground, breathing heavily with his hands on his knees.

"I'm- I'm here… I made it, guys… whew… ouch…" he said, clutching his side. It took him quite a bit of time to finally recover enough to look up at a simmering Kairi standing above him; her hands in tight fists, knuckles white, eye twitching.

That's when you knew you were screwed: when Kairi's eye was twitching.

Sora began backing up slowly, hands held up in front of him as if standing before a wild animal. He nervously put on a weak smile, Kairi was now stalking him slowly, one step at a time. Sora gave a frightened little laugh.

"Heheheh… K-Kairi, w-why are you l-looking at me like that?" he asked tentatively.

Kairi snapped.

"Why am I looking at you? You wanna know why I'm looking at you? It's because you're LATE, SORA!" She was sorely tempted to just rip his spiky head off, it was only a few inches out of reaching distance…

"B-but, I'm not late, Kairi… I've got like five seconds left." he pointed out in an extremely small voice. The entire crowd had quieted completely, and was staring at them. One glare from Kairi, however, and they turned back and hurriedly resumed conversation.

Sora looked desperately at Riku for help, but he only mouthed the word "no" as he shook his head slowly from side to side. Kairi looked fit to erupt, but suddenly, something unexpected happened. Sora was suddenly thrown backwards onto the floor as a small object zoomed out of nowhere and collided with his face. What looked like some kind of tiny creature was skittering all around Sora's head so quickly it wasn't possible to get a glimpse of what it might be. Small, leathery wings beat rapidly, and whatever it was had begun chirping madly.

"AAAAHHHHH! Get it off, get it off, get it off, GET IT OFF!"

Sora was flailing his arms about, trying to get a good hold on the thing, but it just wouldn't sit still. Riku rushed back over to them, concerned. Kairi looked inexplicably confused. Donald, thinking it was a threat, panicked and cast a thunder spell directly at Sora. Whatever it was seemed completely unaffected, though it now had decided to abandon its attack, and it scurried off so quickly, no one was really sure which way it went. Sora sat up, eyes bulging, still trying to understand what the heck had just happened.

"WHAT THE HECK?" he exclaimed, stunned, his hair even messier than before, if that were possible.

Riku was asking himself that question too, when something appeared between his eyes, staring at him with bright violet orbs. He hadn't even noticed there was a weight on his head until now. Staring back at it, cross-eyed, Riku wondered if it was hostile. A second later, another voice cut in.

"I see you've met Ardeo," it said.

The weight on Riku's head lifted and whatever it was darted towards a young woman walking their way. There, it settled on her shoulder and folded its bat-like wings, revealing a scaly fluorescent green hide. Everyone looked at it disbelievingly.

"A-Ardeo?" repeated Riku dumbly. The little creature made an excited chirping sound.

"Yes," replied the woman, "Ardeo is my companion." She paused, noting everyone's matching facial expression. "And, yes, he is a dragon." She stated in a matter-of-fact kind of voice. This woman looked to be about nineteen, with raven colored hair hanging down to about her collarbone. The dark color was accentuated by bright hot pink highlights and she was wearing a black form-fitting top decorated with silver fleur-de-lies patterns, as well as dark jeans and a silver, pyramid-studded belt. On her right hand, she wore a single glove, which ended just below her elbow. Ardeo nipped at her ear affectionately. "Okay…and who are you?" questioned Riku, still a bit lost.

"My name is Skyra," she introduced coolly, "and I will be accompanying you on this journey."

"Huh, what journey?" asked and interested Sora, still glancing at the dragon on Skyra's shoulder.

Skyra considered him for a moment. "Ah, so you don't know yet. King Mickey should explain it to you in a moment."

Just then, the large gold-encrusted doors on the far side of the room slowly began to open. Everyone glanced up from their conversation and began to file into the room beyond. The three Keyblade wielders and the oversized duck and dog stared at Skyra for a moment, then at each other, and then proceeded into the meeting room. Waiting for them there was a raised platform on which sat a miniature podium. As the small crowd gathered around it, the gigantic doors behind them closed.

The light fixtures on the walls around them dimmed, and a spotlight shone down on the podium. Just then a figure which stood a grand total of about three feet and had two round black ears strode up to his place at the podium. He now commanded their full attention. Sora suddenly began waving and shouting, "King Mickey! Over here!" attempting to get his attention.

Mickey followed Sora's voice as the group made their way to the front and nodded at him, smiling. When Sora, Riku, Kairi, Donald, Goofy, and Skyra reached the platform (which was also only a few feet high), Sora took the opportunity to ask the important question: "What's going on, Your Majesty"? Mickey replied in a cheerful, high-pitched voice.

"Hey there guys, we're here to discuss the measures to be taken against the attack on Radiant Garden, and also answer some of your questions." He then addressed the rest of the mix-matched audience.

"Attention everyone, thank you all for coming. As I'm sure you are aware, Radiant Garden was under siege a little over two weeks ago." An excited murmur arose from the crowd. King Mickey continued, "I am pleased to inform you that no one was hurt badly, and that the damage was not extensive, however…" he trailed off, snaring the attention of everyone once again.

"… The important thing wasn't the unusual number of Heartless, but what else was discovered." He finished, suddenly very serious. Mickey then looked to his left and nodded, a signal for someone else to come up on the stage.

Leon then appeared on the platform, his boots echoing softly as he went to stand next to King Mickey. Since the podium was ridiculously small compared to Leon, he just stayed where he was. Sora's gazed drifted to where Leon mounted the stage, and there he saw the rest of his gang: Cid, Yuffie and Aerith standing in the corner, unnoticed. He guessed Tifa must still be back at Radiant Garden, since she wasn't among them.

Leon cleared his throat, and Sora turned to look back to him. "The heartless were of the pureblood variety and attacked from the south side of the city, there were about two hundred and fifty in all. A small army of that size should have been capable of much more damage, but they acted like they were being controlled, only attacking the structures and chasing the citizens around." He paused as everyone in the room put a confused look on their face. "Once the situation was stable," Leon continued, "I followed the source of all the Heartless into the valley nearby."

And here, that worried expression Sora had noticed on the Gummiship returned to his face. "When I got there, this mysterious man was waiting for me. He wasn't surprised when I showed up. Right then he confessed that he was behind everything."

Leon looked down at his feet; it seemed to be getting harder for him to speak. Sora suddenly got this nervous feeling in his stomach; something was definitely wrong.

"He told me… he told me that his name was…" Leon had to force out the last word, "Xemnas."

**OH. My. GOSH. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

**Yep, Xemnas returns! Dun, dun, duuuuun!**

**But how, you ask? Well, I have no idea either, but I should know eventually. ^-^**

**Hooray for extra-long chapters! Well, at least I thought it was long, especially when it got to the meeting part. I've noticed that my brain starts turning to mush around 9:00 and it starts getting really hard to write. Well, anyway, lol, count on me to put a dragon in a Kingdom hearts fanfiction. Now this story is a mix of my two favorite things, yay! **

**(suddenly a giant fireball zooms by and hits the wall, inches from the computer)**

**Me: AAAAAGHH! Whatthecrapwasthat?**

**Axel: Ooops! Ah, sorry about that…**

**Me: Axel! What in Kingdom Hearts are you doing ?**

**Axel: Practicing, duh! Got it memorized?**

**Me: Well practice outside! I have a very important story to update!**

**(Axel walks over to computer)**

**Axel: What? I'm not it this one at all!**

**Me: *facepalm* Yeah, yeah… look, it's getting late and I'm starting to zone out, so say goodbye Axel so I can go to bed.**

**Axel: Hmph… (looks away)**

**Me: Whatever. So, I hope you enjoyed it. Next chapter, there should actually be some real danger! Yay violence! (yawns) … Okay, g'night everyone. Axel! I know you're making bunny ears, cut it out!**

**(Axel sticks out his tongue)**

**REVIEW PLEASE! They make my day!  
**


	3. Strange Dreams

**Good morning~! Life is beautiful, hahaha~!**

**Hi everyone! And by that I mean like, three people maybe…oh well.**

**Thank you, DaniPotterCedric'sGirl for reviewing the last chapter.**

**Also, Roxas key 6, I know, Marluxia would be not be pleased with Sora if he stole his hair do. Also, you review are becoming increasingly hard to understand and the comment about the guy with a baseball bat is starting to sound vaguely like a threat…**

**Hi Sam! Glad you liked the last chapter, I'll try and make this one twice as awesome!**

**Okay, here's the next chapter of Wings of Arcadia, enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: (do I still have to do this?) I do not own Kingdom Hearts (or Dane Cook). Kingdom hearts and its characters belong to Disney and Square Enix. I only own the storyline of this fanfic and the characters which I made up, blah, blah, blah- LETS GO ALREADY!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

**Chapter 3: Strange Dreams**

"WHAT!" shouted three astonished Keyblade wielders.

The crowds' concerned murmur had risen to a crescendo of voices, filling the chamber with an apprehensive din. Everyone wanted to know whether they were really in serious danger, or if this was someone's idea of a joke.

Donald and Goofy seemed just as caught off guard as the rest of them. Skyra looked to be in deep thought; Ardeo had taken to pacing on her shoulders, swishing his tail and chattering anxiously. King Mickey tried bracingly to calm them down, succeeding in only tiring out his arms. Finally, Leon had had enough.

Suddenly, a deafening _CRACK_ resounded through the chamber. Everyone immediately quieted and looked forward to see Leon silently sheath a smoking gunblade to his back, his point made. As the powerful echo died down, Mickey nodded to the brown haired man, his face was a mixture of, _thank you,_ and, _was that really necessary?_

In one of the nearby curtained windows, there was now a very nice hole, which was leaking narrow beams of sunlight into the dim meeting room.

"B-But, we defeated Xemnas for good, didn't we?" Sora said, trying to kickstart his brain. He was still staring, horrified, at his shoes. "How could he have returned?"

"Yeah," agreed a stunned Riku, "I saw him…" He remembered watching Xemnas fade away in a storm of nothingness, finished off by a concentrated beam of light created by the combined efforts of Sora and himself.

"Yes," continued Mickey, "I'm afraid that Xemnas has once again returned. The description matches perfectly. How he came back… well, we have no idea… "

Sora's worst fears had been confirmed. He remembered Xemnas.

How could he not? Xemnas was the leader of a group called Organization XIII, a congregation of nobodies who would stop at nothing to gain back what they had once lost: their hearts. This wouldn't have been so bad if they hadn't sent the heartless to cause trouble on the worlds. They alone had been the source of Sora's problems in his last adventure.

Roxas himself had been one of them until he had had enough and quit, running away on a quest for answers: Who was he? Why did he have the Keyblade? Who is Sora and what does he have to do with him? He was kept in the dark for the longest time, even by his own friend Axel, so he ran.

Now Sora felt himself become increasingly scared. What if his friends got hurt, or worse, and he couldn't do anything to stop it? What if his home was destroyed? And what about Kairi? He shuddered. _Without Kairi, Sora didn't know what he'd do._ After everything they'd been through, was their worst enemy back to haunt them all over again?

Sora could tell Roxas was having similar thoughts.

Through the silence, King Mickey was heard clearing his throat. "Leon, you may continue with your account of the attack on Radiant Garden."

Leon kept his level stare on the crowd in front of him and finished the rest of his story. "Xemnas wasn't the only problem, though. I tried to end him right there, but he was too strong."

Leon recalled vividly how he had charged the man in the black and white cloak. He wanted so badly to be rid of this threat before it got any worse, but Xemnas merely sidestepped at the last moment and issued a powerful blast of energy at Leon's back, catching him by surprise. The blow resulted in Leon being rocketed violently through the air, hitting the stone hard, and skidding to a painful halt, all before he could even register what happened. There, Xemnas had walked up to the stunned man and gave him his request.

"He wanted me to tell King Mickey and you guys that he was soon going to 'acquire the power of Arcadia'." he continued, turning his gaze to Sora and his gang.

By the blank looks on their faces, it was obvious they had no idea what in the worlds he was talking about. The mix-matched group of other-worlders also shared confused looks. Sora had nearly forgotten they were even there.

"I think it would help if I explained what Arcadia is," stated Mickey. Everyone gave a collective nod. "Right," agreed Leon, "I didn't even know what it meant until I asked King Mickey."

The mouse king cleared his throat and searched for a place to begin. "Very little is actually known about Arcadia. It was discovered by a man named Cyrus, who learned of the many worlds and how to travel among them. Cyrus studied science and philosophy while visiting and discovering new realms. At some point, Cyrus met Ansem and discussed his theories, theories of a place secluded far away from the reach of man. He said that if this place did exist, it would hold the key to everything.

"Cyrus decided that he was going to find some way to access this place. Supposedly, he succeeded, and what he found was a realm of harmony. There, light and darkness coexisted without prejudice of each other's differences. He called it Arcadia."

"O-Okay," interjected Sora. "So why is Arcadia so important?"

Kairi rolled her eyes, _Impatient as always._

Mickey continued, "Whelp, from what we know, Arcadia is supposed to be very closely connected to the Heart of all Worlds, Kingdom Hearts itself. Supposedly, Arcadia is meant to keep the universe it balance. The light and the darkness created a power which would act like a scale. They wanted to give each other equal share over all the realms, so if one side tipped the balance, the other side was allowed to react accordingly until the scale reached equilibrium. This power eventually became the driving force behind all things." Mickey was getting increasingly worried."You see, Sora, if Xemnas got a hold of this power-

"-He could tip the balance and change everything," finished Riku, his hand held up to his chin. Mickey nodded solemnly. The score and a half of people surrounding them share his attitude.

Sora was speechless; he just couldn't wrap his head around it all. Everything he knew was being threatened once again. It was times like this he wished that he'd never been chosen to wield the Keyblade. Wished he'd never gotten involved in all of this. He didn't want to be constantly having to fight; he didn't want his friends in so much danger. He just wanted to go home and do his level best to forget any of this had ever happened.

Mickey's voice interrupted his thoughts. "And that is why we can't just sit around while Xemnas is out doing whatever he wants," he said firmly, pounding a fist onto the podium. He was now addressing the crowd. "Everyone, I have called you here today so that we can take measures against this threat. To be best prepared, I need all of you to return to your worlds and make sure you're ready in case of a heartless attack. This is the very reason you have been chosen to know the secret of other worlds. Meanwhile, my friends and I will do all we can to learn more about Arcadia and protect it. If everyone understands, you may all go. Gummiships will be waiting in the hangar to take you all home."

Now Sora understood. All these people weren't just representatives, they were a chosen few allowed to know about other worlds as well as a universal crisis such as this. These people, mainly warriors he now noticed, were planted on the many different worlds where they could help defend against the heartless by secretly influencing the awareness of those worlds. How long had King Mickey kept this secret organization going?

One by one, the other-worlders turned and slowly filtered out of the room until; finally, it only held Mickey, Sora and his group, and Leon's team from Radiant Garden. Mickey and Leon climbed down from the stage and turned to Sora.

"Welp you guys, the decision's yours. I can't make you go, and I understand if you don't want to," he said, walking up to them. "Normally, I'd give you more time to think about it, but, given the circumstances, I don't think that's an option. I know it's hard, Sora, I just wanted you to understand the situation before you choose." Sora could tell King Mickey was just as unhappy about this as himself.

Sora looked from him to the ground. He knew Mickey would respect his wishes. If he merely said the word, they would be given a ride home. But was there really any choice?

He closed his eyes. This was all so hard. If they went, their path would certainly be fraught with danger. But if they didn't, it was going to make it that much easier for Xemnas. The weight of all the worlds seemed to be bearing down on him again. He didn't know what to pick. He wasn't even sure he had the strength to choose right now. He was just so tired…

Suddenly, Sora felt something wrap around his hand. Jarred from his thoughts, he looked to his right and saw Kairi's fingers tangled in his. He blinked and then turned his head to see her face. She was gently smiling at him, her blue eyes seeming to sparkle even more than usual. She nodded.

Then he felt something press down on his other shoulder. It was Riku. He was also smiling down on him, his hand gripping Sora reassuringly. "C'mon Sora, the worlds need us," he whispered softly.

Sora felt a spark of strength light up inside of him. He heard an old memory flash through his head.

_C'mon, Sora, giving up already? I thought you were stronger than that._

He closed his eyes and felt himself smile. He wasn't alone. His friends were with him, they would be his strength. Together, they were capable of conquering anything. Together, Xemnas didn't stand a chance.

He suddenly felt a rising happiness swell up inside of him. Sora scanned the eyes of everyone around him, all of them nodding in turn, and then looked down at King Mickey with a burning resolve behind his eyes.

"You got it, Your Majesty. We're with you all the way!"

Mickey smiled happily, relieved. "Thank you, Sora, all of you."

"No problem," the brunette responded, now grinning confidently. "So, uh, all we gotta do is find this Arcadia place before Xemnas does and make sure he doesn't mess with the balance, right?" He asked, trying to put things into perspective, "Sounds easy enough."

"Well…" Leon trailed off, "No one actually knows where it is, so we can't take immediate action to defend it."

_Figures_, though Roxas.

"So then what are we gonna do," asked Sora," Besides wait for Xemnas to find it first, I mean."

"Welp, this is what we have planned so far," Mickey explained. "I'm going to be going around looking for leads on where we might find Arcadia. It could be anywhere, so just firing up a Gummiship and searching for it won't work. You guys will be going together," he continued, "traveling to different worlds and making sure they're safe, while talking to people to see if they might know anything about Arcadia. I'm sure Cyrus talked to other people on his journeys, so look hard for any information you can get your hands on.

"Also," he added, turning to the girl with a dragon perching on her shoulders, "Skyra will be sent along with you." Skyra stood up straight, causing Ardeo to lose balance for a moment.

"Hmmm…. I don't know," thought Riku as he leaned up against the wall once again. "How can we be sure that she's capable of handling herself?" Skyra's eyes flashed to focus on him. For some reason, the air in the nearly empty room became very tense.

"You want me to prove myself?" queried the girl in question, her voice hinting an almost dangerous tone. "Fine."

All eyes were now on her. The small dragon on her shoulder decided to take off and find a new perch, as if it already knew what was coming. Suddenly, she made a move that was incomprehensibly fast, and a whirring sound darted through the air.

Just as quickly as it started, it was over, everyone vaguely wondering what had just happened.

Riku wasn't sure either, until he noticed something suddenly appear near the left side of his face. Looking over, he saw something that made his breath catch in his chest. There, quivering in the wall, not an inch from his face, was knife with a blade about four inches long. It was tinted black and red, greatly resembling Skyra's hair, and had a silver dragon wrapping its way decoratively around the handle. It made a perfect 90 degree angle with the wall, level with his eye, a throw Larxene would have been proud of.

Skyra practically glided up to the paralyzed Riku, reaching an arm up to retrieve her weapon and leaned in close. Riku just now realized that her eyes were brown. "I think that about settles it," she said coolly, a small smirk planted on her face. She then pulled back, simultaneously dislodging her throwing knife from the wall.

She pocketed her knife in some unknown place on her person. "Well, see you all in the morning," she said casually, as if nothing had ever happened, and made for the large double door exit. Everyone stared after her dumbly as Ardeo zoomed about her feet. Riku was frozen in the same position, eyes locked ahead of him, looking through the space where Skyra's face used to be. His jaw was slack and his throat making a funny gurgling sound, as if he was trying to speak, but suddenly forgot English.

Sora was the first to recover his voice. "She scares me," he fearfully admitted.

Everyone went to bed that night clearly exhausted. Mickey's meeting had lasted late into the evening, so they were happy to be accommodated in the richly decorated castle. Each one received their own room; Sora noted how his was directly next to Skyra's, so he crept by as silently as possible so as not to disturb her.

Falling into the plush bed, he sighed, relishing how he sank into the mattress. He knew any position would be just as comfortable right now, so he stayed the way he was and pulled the covers over his collar bone, its weight soothing. He relaxed all his muscles, glad to finally be able to push his worries away, and allowed his mind to drift into a thoughtless serenity.

* * *

**Sora** was suddenly aware of himself falling gently downward. Opening his sapphire eyes, his body shifted to an upright position. Down below, he spotted an enormous, shimmering circle: his Station of Awakening. The seconds passed hazily as he slowly drifted closer to the stained glass mural.

A moment later, his feet hit the glass with a soft _clack _and stood up straight, turning his head to gaze at the void which surrounded him. On the side of the station opposite him, Roxas suddenly appeared, looking just as confused as he was. "What's going on?" asked Sora.

Roxas shrugged, "Not sure. I didn't call you here."

Both boys suddenly felt a somewhat familiar presence and a strange, soundless voice was projected into their minds. Seeming to come from nowhere and everywhere at once, the disembodied voice made them look around instinctively, trying to find its owner.

**History has repeated itself. The worlds are threatened once again by an entity seeking power.**

**Would you choose to fight it?**

**Know only that if you do, you will risk putting yourself and those close to you in harm's way.**

**The alternative, however, may not be so different.**

Sora thought for a moment. The answer was obvious; he'd already made up his mind. Roxas nodded at him. "Yes," Sora confirmed. Whatever lay ahead, he was ready.

**Then take this, Chosen Wielder of the Keyblade.**

**The journey ahead holds many things, not all of them good, and still not all bad.**

**One would be wise to be prepared.**

Suddenly, a small pinprick of light caught their eyes. High above the platform, an object began to materialize. Becoming even more luminous, the item's shape could not be distinguished as it descended closer to them. Finally, it came to a halt in the center of the station, hovering at eye level.

Sora and Roxas both took this as their cue to step forward, Sora held out his hand as he approached the indefinable object.

The thing finally stopped rotating, and fell easily into his waiting grasp. It had finally become possible to see what it was, stray flecks of light still leaving it. It appeared to be some sort of amulet; the pendant itself resembled a heart and was a golden-orange color. On closer inspection, the heart seemed to be made of some kind of glassy material with small cracks separating it into sections, all the colors of the sunset swirled about inside of it. On either side of the heart, small metallic wings were folded downwards, beautifully crafted; every single feather was clearly visible. They were identical, aside from the fact that the wing on the left was black as the night sky, while the other was a dazzling silvery-white. The chain bearing the pendant hung, chiming softly, from between his fingers. Sora and Roxas gazed at it, both wondering the same thing.

"What is it?" Roxas asked the voice, this sort of thing only happening to him once or twice before.

**This will grant you the power to use both sides of your heart.**

**Consider it a gift and do not squander it.**

This response both answered and avoided Roxas's question. Sora was pocketing the strange object, still feeling way beyond confused, when another thought suddenly occurred to him.

"Hold on a second, who are you anyway?" he questioned, looking straight up and into the darkness beyond.

**My identity is of no importance.**

**However, a word of warning: during the trials ahead, what you know may be put into question.**

**You must find for yourself what is real and what is not.**

**Remember, everything is not always as it seems. Farewell.**

Sora awoke, eyes fluttering open gently, all tiredness gone. Had he just been dreaming?

* * *

**Finally!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

**Ugh, Sorry everyone. I know I promised action, but this chapter was seriously starting to drag on.**

**Hopefully the mystery and suspense will hold you over until I write the next one, oh well…**

**Heheh, I was having fun there at the dream sequence, trying to figure out what that weird voice would say. I had my hands in front of my head in a thinking sort of pose and was like, "I am the mysterious disembodied voice," trying to get into character.**

**Well, I got tired of painting the wall where Axel kept burning it, so I locked him in my closet~!**

**(Axel portals in behind Alexa, hand on her shoulder)**

**Axel: Ahem.**

**Me: O_o !**

**Axel: Forgot I could do that didn't you?**

**Me: (nods)**

**Axel: Mmmmhhmm.**

**Me: Hehehehehh…. Crap….. Review Please! Anonymous reviews accepted!**


	4. Roxas

**You know what? You guys rock.**

**I swear, the day after I posted my last chapter, I look at my reviews and mentally do a doubletake. Holy crap, 11 reviews! I mean, yeah, Roxas key 6 keeps double-posting and it's mildly annoying (seriously, try to fix that), but 11 reviews! I feel like I could fly! You all make me so happy!**

**I'm starting to see a pattern here: I wake up feeling mildly irritated about my story (or really really bad) for some reason, and then I come back and see the lovely comments you all leave me, and then I get excited and write some more!**

**DaniPotterCedric'sGirl- wow, is it really that good? Maybe it's just my semi-perfectionist nature talking to me when I wake up in the morning…**

**Silver And Gold Angels- Yes, I'm trying to make Skyra that kind of awesomely skilled and really scary sort of person… I think you'll find out she's something like Ziva mixed with a ninja. I need to work on her character a bit.**

**Roxaskey 6- hmmm…idk, didn't plan that exactly, but it might end up like that way anyway**

**XIII-Jinx-XIII – thanks for agreeing on Ardeo! Yeah, he is really adorable.**

**Heh, you know, the three pieces of paper that I have which contains all the notes and ideas I have so far (all of which are in a random order I might add) is basically a big mess of incomplete sentences and arrows going all over the place. Let's see if I can make some sense of it. (oh, and as for Mickey's 'whelps', I was just attempting to imitate the way he talks, I did not spell the word 'well' wrong 3times)**

**Methinks I will add some more new characters soon…yes, yes indeed. Disclaimer still stands. We last left our spiky- haired keyblader wondering whether or not he had been dreaming….~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

**Chapter 4: Roxas**

* * *

Sitting up in bed, Sora placed his head in his hands and thought hard. Moments passed and he still could not place what had happened in his subconscious. That always annoyed him, not being able to remember you dreams. He allowed it to bug him for a while more before dismissing it. _Oh well_, he thought to himself, shrugging.

He jumped out of the plush mattress and changed back into his black combat outfit. He liked the way this one looked, as opposed to what he used to wear before going into a year- long slumber. The red leather pockets strapped to his sides were especially neat, charmed to be infinitely deep, they would hold anything that could fit through the opening. After he was all geared up, he raced out the bedroom door to find the dining hall, unaware of the weight in his pocket.

By the time he arrived, Riku, Kairi, Donald and Goofy were already selecting various food items from the buffet and taking them to a ridiculously long table to eat. Skyra was sitting across from Riku, who was obviously trying to avoid looking at her. Her hair was now up in a short ponytail, making the ends spike out a bit. Also, she now donned hard leather armor to protect sensitive joint areas like her elbows and wrists. Dark combat boots and a silver and black vest completed the look, Sora wondered if she kept any hidden knives in them.

Sora selected a variety of breakfast foods, including freshly baked waffles, mouthwatering French toast, and an assortment of elegantly sliced fruits. The meal passed uneventfully, with the exception of Donald and Goofy joining with Sora to sing the _Do You Like Waffles s_ong, succeeding in both entertaining and annoying them all.

When they were all filled to the brim, an entourage of walking brooms appeared at the dining hall door and beckoned for them to follow. Leaving their empty plates to be taken care of by the other servants, the six allowed themselves to be lead out to the hangar. Waiting for them there was King Mickey, Minnie, and Daisy.

"Good morning everyone," greeted the King. The two on either side of him nodded in salutations. "G'morning You Majesty!" echoed Sora, a happy grin spreading across his face. That French Toast was _very _satisfying.

"I hope you had a nice rest everyone," said Minnie in her high, breezy voice. They nodded; Ardeo flew up to the platform where Chip and Dale were busy preparing the monitors and put his reptilian face to the glass to get a better look. He was delighted when they noticed him eavesdropping and climbed over to the window where he was.

"Glad to hear it," responded Mickey. "All right everyone, before we begin, I just want to make sure. Are you really okay with this?" They all looked at each other for a brief moment. Riku shrugged, "Yeah, I guess we're ready." "It's now or never," backed Sora.

Mickey sighed, "Right." Just then, a thought came to Sora's mind.

"Hey, wait," he said. "Didn't you say that Arcadia was discovered by that guy named Cyrus?" Mickey nodded. "So if we don't know where it is, then why don't we just ask him?" Mickey looked down in thought, "well, that's the problem. You see, Cyrus disappeared a long time ago." Kairi was interested. "He did? How come?"

Mickey let his shoulders rise and fall. "No one knows. One day, he just vanished. Nobody's even sure which world he was on last or when it happened, it's like he just fell off the face of the planet."

"Unfortunate," lamented Skyra, her arms crossed, "it would have made things so much less difficult." The others found that their eyes immediately moved to glance at her whenever she said something, but she took no notice. "Yeah," agreed Mickey, "but remember everyone, Cyrus was an explorer as well."

He reached into his pocket and retrieved a rectangular sheet of paper. Sora took it from him and glanced at what was drawn upon it. "It's a map of a group of worlds northeast of here. The path leading there has opened again, so we're free to go."** (Convenient huh?)** Riku took a closer look at the astronomic calculations from over Sora's shoulder and found a problem.

"Het, wait a minute here," he said, snatching up the map. "There's just a bunch of dots, nothing's been labeled!" Indeed, the parchment only provided a series of scattered pinpoints along with elliptic ovals representing orbital paths. Other than that, there was a line which spun in a swirling path near the bottom left corner with some numbers below it; a compass took its place at the top right to mark North and South. Mickey rubbed the back of his head, a bit embarrassed. "Heh heh… sorry fellas, but that's all we have. This map was made before Cyrus actually got to go investigate the new worlds, so virtually nothing is known about them."

Sora was silently thinking to himself, disappointed at the lack of information, when his eyes drifted to something that caught him off guard, or rather, something that _should_ have been there.

"Uh, Your Majesty," he began in a confused tone, "where's the Gummiship?"Everyone looked at the empty space to their right. Mickey looked up at him, at first surprised at the change of subject, but then remembered something. "Oh right, I forgot! Come on guys, I gotta show ya somthin'." With that, Mickey headed for the exit, followed by Daisy and Minnie. When the other six had joined him outside, King Mickey lead them away from the Gummiship launch room and through some doors built into the courtyard wall.

Wordlessly, they walked down a narrow hallway until coming to a stop at a door on the far side. There, Mickey inputted a code on a keypad set into the wall. A moment later, a soft _ding_ was heard and the metal door slid open. Beyond them was an elevator. "Inside here, everyone," directed Mickey. Luckily, the lift was actually wider than the corridor, so the nine had no trouble squeezing in. A light fixture on the ceiling illuminated the small room and one wall seemed to be made of glass.

After they had all filed inside, the door automatically moved shut with another _ding _and they felt the elevator begin to drop quickly. No one said anything, they didn't really know what to expect. A speaker above their heads began to emit a tune, but instead of annoying elevator music, a catchy beat met Sora's ears. After a brief intro, a female voice began to sing:

_You're giving me_

_Too many things, Baby_

_You're all I need, Oh_

_You smiled at me and said (and said):_

_Don't get me wrong I love you, But does that mean I have to meet your Father?_

_When we are older you'll uuuuuuunderstand what I meant when I said no_

_I don't think life is quite that simple_

Sora started tapping his foot and bobbing his head to the music, Ardeo also found it quite enjoyable. Sitting upon Skyra's head, the little dragon was swaying and beating his wings, causing the others to stare at him with weirded -out expressions. Riku thought it was kind of cute, though another thought entered his head: _If Sora farts in here, I swear I'm gonna kill him._

_When you walk away, you don't hear me say:_

_Pleeeeeease, oh Baby, don't go_

_Simple and Clean is the way that you're making me feel tonight_

_It's hard to let it go_

"Um, Your Majesty," said Kairi, finally, "Does this have something to do with the Gummiship?" Mickey turned around, a big smile on his face. "It's a surprise. I think you're going to like it." Sora shrugged, surprises were fine with him.

After a few more moments, they were suddenly met with a wave of light and a view of something very, _very _large. The moving platform touched down and Mickey stepped off into what looked like the largest room they had probably ever seen. "Right this way everyone," he said with barely contained excitement.

The ceiling and the walls stretched on and on, casting the enormous room in a white light. It was like some sort of underground hangar. They followed Mickey onto the suspended platform, the three keybladers and Donald and Goofy were absolutely stunned. There before them, held in place by gigantic metallic claws, was the biggest, hugest, most awesomely monstrous vehicle they had ever set their eyes upon. Along the side, in big blue letters was _ISTV-001 Cygnus_. Broom servants were busily walking in and out of it, some were suspended by ropes and scrubbing the sides and windows with sponges and spray bottles. If Riku's brain hadn't gone into lockdown, he would have wondered at the irony of cleaning utensils using _other_ cleaning utensils.

"Whoooaa," said Sora in amazement. "What _is_ it?" Kairi breathed something that sounded like, "Oh. My. Gosh.", but it was hard to tell. Donald's beak appeared to be stuck in a gaping position, Goofy exclaimed "What kinda Gummiship is that!" Skyra's expression was near unreadable, but her eyes glittered with what might have been excitement.

The thing must have been longer than a C-4 and just as high, spanning several hundred feet in length. It had a rounded nose and was decorated with light green and blue stripes running along the reflective white surface. The main wings were folded back towards the tail.

"That's a new Gummiship we've been working on for occasions like this," said Mickey, obviously satisfied with their reactions. "Since you guys are going to be travelling longer distances, you'll need a bigger vessel. This one will be able to get you to the new worlds faster."

"We get to fly in _this_?" asked Sora excitedly.

"What are we going to do with all this extra space?" exclaimed Riku, now looking at Mickey.

"Oh, don't worry," he said vaguely, "It has plenty of things for you to uh… keep yourselves occupied with." Sora and the others were immediately psyched about what attractions the Gummiship could possibly contain; Riku gave Mickey a questioning glance. "Just consider it my thanks for all the things you guys have done."

Riku felt a sudden tenderness for his friend and, with a big grin, swooped down and lifted a surprised Mickey right onto his shoulder. Everyone burst into laughter and began jumping up and down around them, with the exception of Skyra, who watched with an amused expression. The sudden excitement caused Ardeo to fly around their little party, singing happily.

Minnie seemed pleased as well, but interrupted their awkward-looking group hug by poking the mouse king as he was lowered to the floor. "Huh? –Oh right! Almost forgot again!" he laughed, gesturing to his head. "Yen Sid told me that he wants to see you guys before you head to the new worlds."

Sora thought for a moment. "So that means…Twilight Town." Mickey gave them a nod. After saying their goodbyes, Donald being told sternly by Daisy not to take so long this time, the six (as well as Ardeo) traversed the long metal catwalk to the entrance of the Cygnus Gummiship. Once inside, they followed an arrow painted onto the wall down a corridor until they met an automatic door which slid open, allowing them into what was obviously a very large cockpit. Each seat was separated and had its own monitor. The group walked in and each sat down in the comfortable looking chairs and strapped themselves in.

The individual computer screens glowed as the Gummiship began to start up, neon lights also illuminated a path on the floor below them. As the powerful engines began to rumble, the windshield blinked and the furry images of Chip and Dale were projected upon it. Chip (the one with the red nose) gave a little salute. "The Gummiship is clear for takeoff! Everybody ready," he asked in a squeaky voice. Dale followed his salute and then pulled some levers, the engines roaring louder in response. Ardeo had concealed himself somewhere inside Skyra's jacket

Outside, the ramp leading to the Gummiship retracted and the claws relinquished their hold on the vehicle as the platforms made way for the extending set of wings. Before it, a thick steel gate parted and revealed an endless underground tunnel. Violet tinted flames burst from within the rear thrusters and the massive spacecraft slowly lifted towards the exit.

After a moment, Riku finally registered what that meant.

_Oh crap, not again!_

That strange tickling sensation invaded his insides once again as the Gummiship boosted forward violently, slamming him firmly back into his seat. He squeezed his eyes shut and gripped the arms of the chair, desperate to hold onto something. This time, he couldn't tell how Sora was taking it because his head was shaking so badly. Ten seconds was torture. The ride smoothened out a bit after they had cleared the claustrophobic tunnel and were now flying through open air. Within moments, the _Cygnus _had already made it into the open expanse of space and turned north towards Twilight Town. A little light flashed above them, signaling with a _bing_ that it was okay to get up.

Shaken, Riku slowly stood up and tried to steady himself, Sora running by and dragging a sick looking Kairi further into the ship and yelling something about "checking it out". He let go of his head after giving it a little shake and looked up. Ardeo was right in his face.

"Ahhh!" he shouted as he fell back into his seat, startled. The little dragon ran in a circle and chirped, satisfied with himself.

Skyra chuckled saying, "Alright Ardeo, leave the poor kid alone." Riku looked up, noticing he and Skyra were the only ones in the room. Said dragon looked curiously at him for a moment before hopping down from his perch and landing on his chest.

After a moment, Riku reached out tentatively towards him, giving Skyra a questioning look. "Go ahead," she assured. He touched Ardeo's head with his fingers, the metallic scales at first felt cool, but warmed with his body temperature. Ardeo's ears pricked up as he allowed Riku to scratch behind them and started making a funny purring sound before rolling lazily onto his back.

Riku chuckled before scratching his belly as well, after which Ardeo immediately decided he liked this person, scampering up onto his shoulder and playing with his long hair. Skyra raised an eyebrow.

"Impressive," she observed. Riku looked up, "What?"

"That you've just met him and he's already bonded with you."

"Huh?" Riku looked back down at the creature on his shoulder.

"Well, Ardeo is friendly to almost everyone," she explained, perplexed, "but sometimes, he finds someone whom he likes a lot. This person is someone with good in their hearts, and he trusts them completely."

Riku was taken aback. _Good_? He hadn't exactly made a lot of good decisions lately.

He had caused so much trouble for Sora, Kairi and so many others. About a year ago, he had become obsessed about travelling to other worlds, and the resulting darkness in his heart was the cause for the temporary destruction of their home, the small islands becoming like a prison to him.

Not to mention allowing himself to become part of the darkness and being possessed by Ansem, nearly killing Sora and taking Kairi's heart for his own ends. Despite Sora's immediate forgiveness, he still felt a bit guilty for all he'd done, even though he tried not to think about it. How could this dragon suddenly trust him with everything after knowing him for a grand total of four minutes?

Skyra interrupted his thoughts, "It's like a mental link. If you focus, you can understand what he is thinking." Ardeo seemed to agree, standing on his hind legs, he tapped Riku's temple with his front paws excitedly.

Riku stood up, giving Skyra a skeptical look. He didn't really feel like making a fool of himself again. She rolled her eyes in response and with a dry look said, "Just do it. Focus on him and open your mind."

With a sigh, Riku did as he was told. He relaxed, closed his eyes and focused his thoughts on the creature on his shoulder. For a second, nothing happened, but then…

BAM!

He felt he was no longer himself.

Though his eyes were closed, he suddenly saw images flashing through his head. Then, he was looking at himself through Ardeo's eyes, standing with his own eyes closed in concentration. He could feel the dragon's weight on his shoulder, but at the same time feel Ardeo's claws on his vest as if they were his own. This wasn't just hearing his thoughts; this was like becoming a part of him!

For a moment he just sat there, trying to understand what was going on. What thoughts did run through Ardeo's hyper-active mind were a bit short and tangled, he figured the little dragon wasn't thoroughly articulate. But beyond that, he could sense what he was feeling, which was a lot of excitement at the moment.

Suddenly, the connection broke and he felt himself get sucked back into his own body once more. Riku let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding and snapped his eyes open wide. He stared, amazed, at Ardeo as he flew around his head, his little mind buzzing with happiness at making a new friend.

"Whoa… that was crazy," he gasped, incredulous. Skyra raised an eyebrow in thought. "Yes, he has a talent for unusual magic."

"Is there anything else I should know about him," he asked as he held out a finger for Ardeo to land on.

She nodded. "He is impervious to most magic and is an excellent healer. He's also useful for scouting ahead or squeezing through tight gaps."

He nodded, thinking about his remarkable experience when a thought occurred to him. Last night. He sighed.

Well, he might as well get it over with; he didn't want to think about having to spend weeks on a ship with a girl like Skyra if the tension built up too much.

"Uh, listen… sorry about the other night…" he began.

Skyra waved her hand dismissively. "Sorry for nearly turning _you_ into shish-kebab." Though afterward she added, "But I wouldn't push it if I were you."

Riku was both surprised and relieved. Maybe, if he tried hard enough, he wouldn't find himself nearly pinned to the wall again.

Suddenly Sora burst through the door. Skyra had to restrain her reflexes from making her throw something pointy at him

"Holy crap, Riku, it has a hot-tub!" he shouted, an ecstatic grin plastered on his face. Riku gave him a 'what the crap?' look at his sudden entrance. "C'mon," he continued, grabbing his arm and pulling him away. "There's an arcade and everything!"

So, Skyra and Riku followed Sora to check out all the amazing things the Gummiship had to offer, noting also the fully stocked kitchen and cozy-looking lounge room.

* * *

"**So**, you want me to take out these… kids?" asked the dark man, holding small pictures showing the faces of six people, two of them looked like oversized animals, one had unnaturally spiky hair. He shuffled the photos slowly, taking in their faces. None of them seemed to be related.

"It's more of a test than anything, but, yes, do as you will," replied Xemnas, turning his steady gaze to the figure whose features were obscured in shadow.

"However, be aware that they are extremely dangerous. They won't go down easily," he warned.

The other man shrugged. They didn't _look_ very tough, but then he'd learned to never underestimate anyone, one reason why he was still alive. He prided himself in always getting the job done, but still…

He stopped on the picture of a young girl with black, pink streaked hair. A slow smile teased his lips.

"Whatever, just as long as the price is right," he said. Xemnas tossed him a pouch full of munny, which he caught smoothly, enjoying the way it chimed as he slid it into his pocket. Taking that as his cue, he turned to leave.

_Interesting_, he thought to himself, _very interesting_.

He never thought that he'd see _her_ again.

* * *

**When** they finally arrived at their destination, not more than half an hour later, they wondered how they were going to get the enormous Gummiship to land somewhere without being seen. After much searching, Kairi eventually found a sticky note on the control panel saying in scribbly handwriting that the green tube-like device near the back of the room was a teleporter.

"Well that's convenient," observed Sora.

The directions were simple: lock the coordinates, stand in the tube and press the button. The teleporter buzzed to life as they each took a spot inside of it. It gave a whirring noise that gradually got louder, and the lights around them became more and more intense. Static charged the small room, and with a blinding flash, the six were instantly transported to the town square in Twilight Town, eternally frozen in sunset.

Sora could tell that Roxas was glad to be back, this place held many memories for him, some strange, but mostly happy ones. They set a course for the massive clock tower in the distance, where they would find the station.

Suddenly, Riku sensed something.

He stopped, looking down in concentration. He had felt this somewhere before, it was so familiar… After a moment, his head snapped up, he remembered.

"Move!" he cried out in alarm as he pushed Sora out of the way. He summoned his Way to Dawn as he did so and brought it up, locking blades with a Stalwart Blade heartless and grunting from the effort.

Sora flew off balance, landing harder than Riku had intended. Something was ejected from his pocket and landed beside him. Sora glanced up, trying to clear the dizziness from his head. Lying in the road near his elbow was a pendant shaped like a heart, one black and white wing sprouting from either side.

_Is that…?_ He thought, suddenly remembering his dream the night before.

He reached for it slowly, for a moment ignoring the confusion all around him. Just as his fingers closed around it, the heart responded, cracks widening slightly and separating the heart into four sections. Whatever mechanism inside emitted a green glow from between the cracks, and the whole thing shimmered with a magical light as the folded metal wings stretched apart as if intending to fly away.

It was then that Sora felt a strange sensation, like some part of him was becoming detached. Before he knew what happened, it was over with a flash. He looked up.

Standing above him, completely solid, was Roxas.

* * *

**Finally, it's done!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

**Ugh, sorry this one came a day late, I was aiming for once a week, but my soccer tryouts are getting in the way. So yeah, we will be going to several brand new worlds, awesome!**

**Holy fudgemuffins, I'm so excited! I have a birthday party tomorrow with my buddies and it's gonna be awesome!**

**Axel: *blows on one of those party noisemaker things***

**Me: Axel's helping me blow up the balloons :D**

**Axel: Fun, fun, fun…**

**Me: *glares*What, aren't you going to ask what I want for my birthday?**

**Axel: *sighs* What do you want?**

**Me: *thinks for a moment* Piggyback ride~! :D**

**Axel: Sorry I asked… -_-**

**Me: *jumps on his back* Go chocobo!**

**Axel: *surprised* Jeez, you weigh a lot**

**Me: Excuse me? *slaps his head***

**Axel: … -_-**

**Anyway, hoped you liked it. Like I said, this is still my first story, so tell me if there's something I should work on. I still need guidance! See you guys later, you are all super awesome special people!**


	5. Total Havok

**Alright, after my last chapter I ended up preoccupied all weekend, two days longer than my usual break. So eventually, Axel told me to, "GET GOING!" so I finally started on this chapter**

**Thank you everyone for your awesome reviews! Speaking of which, we have one, two, three, four, five new reviewers! TheEspadaSisters, zero hearted (love the name), falling into the dark (also cool), fallen angels (nice), and the ashes of light (I especially like that name)! **

**Me: Axel, hand out cookies to all of these awesome people!**

**Axel: Do I have to?**

**Me: Yes, and zero hearted gets an extra one for telling someone else about this story.**

**Axel: *glares* …Fine.**

**Me: Yup, these are super-special-awesome cookies that turn into whatever kind of cookie you want when you get them~! *Takes a bite of chocolate chip***

**Anyway, glad you guys like it so far. I'm still considering different worlds and don't even know what order they'll be in, except for the first one of course, it's one of my personal favorites! Suggestions are welcome, but I won't respond to them because I'm not giving you guys any spoilers!**

**Awesome, lets go!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

* * *

Riku grimaced, trying to hold off the Heartless which was nearly twice his height. It seemed to have recovered from its surprise at hitting the wrong target and was now trying to force Riku down with its diamond-shaped blades, making his arms begin to tremble from the strain. Before his guard broke though, he hit the ground and rolled around its feet, coming back up behind the creature.

Before it could react, he leapt swiftly upon its armored back and slashed at its head before being thrown off by a spin attack.

The Heartless had literally come out of nowhere, and the group was now being surrounded by dozens of them, and all of different varieties.

Riku found himself separated from Sora, Kairi, Donald and Goofy, sharing a small circle of space that was _not_ occupied by Heartless with Skyra. Nimble as a cat, she used the chest of a larger Heartless as a springboard and launched into a back flip, coming out of it and releasing a flurry of daggers at its head.

She pulled out another concealed weapon as she flew through the air and jammed it into the neck of an unsuspecting Neoshadow just as she landed on it. As it vanished below her, she kept the flow of the fight going by dispatching several more black creatures, transitioning masterfully between various forms of martial arts.

**Sora** barely had time to be surprised at Roxas's sudden appearance, because the Nobody was almost instantly tackled to the ground by another ferocious Heartless. It had its foot on top of the blonde's chest, one hand pinning his arm to the pavement. Roxas was helpless as it raised one gruesomely clawed arm above it, poised to strike. He flinched, closing his eyes tight.

Sora's eyes widened. Without thinking, he got to his feet, calling forth his Kingdom Key, and caught the beast right under the arm, sending it flying away and tumbling into another Heartless. Roxas looked up to see Sora standing above him; the strange pendant was still clutched in one hand.

"Are you okay?" he asked as he pocketed the device, using his now free hand to pull up his other half. Roxas nodded breathlessly and they stood back-to-back in their battle positions. By this time, they had all ready had been cut off from the rest.

Roxas was staring at his hands, noting how solid they were and how that Heartless had actually _touched _him. "What's going on?"

"No idea," replied Sora, but he had a strange suspicion of what might have caused this phenomena, now feeling the weight in his pocket. "Can you still use your keyblades?"

Roxas shrugged, "Guess I'll give it a shot." With that, he reached out with his mind in search of Oathkeeper and Oblivion. A moment went by and there he found them, drifting in separate realms, awaiting his command. _Come_, he told them.

Instantly, he felt their power surging through him; Oathkeeper arriving with a flash of light, Oblivion in a shroud of shimmering darkness. He flipped them expertly above his head and let them clash down in front of him, enjoying their weight and relieved that he no longer felt vulnerable. The two keyblades also seemed happy, humming at his touch with barely contained power. Roxas and Sora looked at each other, nodding, and began slashing their way through the horde of heartless.

Above them on a rooftop, a dark man watched in satisfaction at the chaos he had created. One of the shifty-looking men behind him stepped forward, asking whether they ought to intervene.

"No," he commanded them, "Be patient."

* * *

**Kairi** had been just as caught off guard as the rest of them. Separated from the others, she hurriedly summoned her keyblade in time to deflect a blow from a bloodthirsty Heartless.

She sidestepped as its momentum carried it forward and let her weapon slice across its back. Kairi smirked, but her victory was cut short when a dragon-like Wyvern Heartless dove in from above, spreading its razor sharp talons, fully intent on making her its breakfast.

She had little time to react and ended up being slammed in the chest with its thick rear legs, hitting the ground hard, winded. Kairi blinked, grimacing from the pain, and saw the Wyvern maneuver itself in the air to face her again with surprising agility, locking onto her with cold, yellow eyes. It opened its toothy maw and let out a deafening screech, preparing to dip its wings and continue its assault.

As it raced back at her, it was surprised to see its prey dodge its attack, acrobatically twirling through the air and knocked it down squarely between the shoulder blades.

This blow caused the roaring dragon to lose its altitude completely, colliding with the ground and struggling to regain its footing with only two back legs and wings for arms. It did that rather well, actually, but Kairi was already on the offensive, firing a powerful orb of light from the tip of her keyblade and directing it to the creature's face.

The resulting blast successfully caused the Heartless to stagger in confusion and she took the opportunity to dispatch it with a few good keystrokes, after which it faded, leaving behind a drifting heart accompanied with a dark mist.

_Honestly_, Kairi thought to herself, _I don't understand what Sora is so worried about_.

Fireworks of pain suddenly shot up her arms like lightning. Glancing down on her right, she spotted a small Shadow Heartless who had sunk its sharp little teeth painfully into her forearm, its orb-like yellow eyes shining against its black head. Kairi's eyelid began to twitch again as her expression changed from one pain to anger.

Eager to detach this little pest from her arm, she punched it brutally in the face, following through with a sweeping strike of her keyblade. Following this little distraction, five Mega Shadows materialized from the pavement surrounding her, not even giving her time to think before slashing at her in a strangely synchronized attack. Kairi's eyes snapped shut in fear, at a loss of what to do.

The Heartless' claws were inches from her body before something unexpected happened. A moment went by before Kairi blinked her eyes open slowly, suddenly aware of a slight chill and the fact that she wasn't quite dead. A second later she knew why.

Standing around her were five Mega Shadows completely encased in glistening ice, arms outstretched to her in the exact same position as if frozen in some kind of ballet.

A whirring sound made itself present amongst the chaos and each Heartless surrounding her immediately exploded into shards of ice and shadow. Behind her, she was both surprised and relieved to see Donald and Goofy fighting their way over to stand protectively on either side of her, the taller of which caught his flying shield as it zoomed back towards him.

"We got your back, Kairi!" exclaimed Goofy in his strange and, well, goofy sort of voice. Donald quacked in agreement and began casting more powerful spells from his magician's wand at the various Heartless creeping around them**.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~(A while later)**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

* * *

**Riku **backed away after demolishing what felt like the millionth Heartless, breathing heavily. The fight felt like it had lasted for hours, minutes stretching into painfully exhausting tests of strength and endurance. Whenever he defeated one heartless, two more would appear in its place, and now they were becoming increasingly more merciless and attacked without rest. And they just kept_ coming_!

He was already wearing down and it was getting steadily more difficult to concentrate. He could vaguely tell that his vision was starting to blur around the edges, each strike was a chore and every move caused his arms or legs to burn in protest. Skyra appeared to be slowing down as well, but her unwillingness to back down seemed to be fueling every strike. Ardeo helped out any way he could, collecting Skyra's scattered daggers and tossing them to her, and even dropping potted plants to distract the heartless so they could get in some free shots.

Suddenly another Neoshadow charged him, eager to get its claws around his heart. He blinked, trying to clear his fogged mind and veered to the left, but his reactions were too slow. Riku hissed a breath in pain and his lips curled into a tight grimace as the razor-like claws dug into his shoulder. Turning quickly, he skewered his attacker with Way to Dawn in vengeance. The blade pierced all the way through its body and into that of another heartless, reducing them both to wisps of fleeting darkness.

Riku clutched his bleeding shoulder and panted even harder as blinding stars danced across his vision. Two more black monsters rushed at him from the side and he launched a blast of Dark Firaga to impede their advance. As they writhed in the searing heat, another leapt over them, brandishing an eager set of fangs. Riku force his arms to work, swinging his keyblade at it. However, the move was much slower than normal and the impact caused a considerably small amount of damage. He staggered backwards wearily, growling in annoyance, even that seemed to drain a large portion of his remaining energy.

They couldn't take much more of this. Even Sora was having trouble, struggling vainly to reach Kairi. Riku felt like a cornered animal, their already small circle of fighting space was slowly knitting itself tighter.

Suddenly, Riku caught what he thought was the sound of someone hitting the pavement, accompanied by a voice he did not recognize.

"So, you're supposed to be the kid who defeated Xemnas," said a low and ominously casual voice. Riku turned to see a lone figure that was standing up straight, as if he just landed from a very high jump. "For someone so strong, you don't seem to be holding up very well."

His taunting smirk seemed to be planted on his face. Calculating cobalt eyes focused intently on him from behind stray locks of murky black hair, his gaze of cool amusement was strangely unnerving. He was wearing a dark combat outfit that sported many belts and pockets, while armor served to protect him by absorbing shock on his shoulders and knees. Two weapons Riku had never seen before were strapped securely to his back; they bore no special coloring, just black handles and steel blades.

"Who are _you_?" asked Riku.

The man started striding predatorily forward, still gazing at him with those stunning eyes. Suddenly he halted just in time as a deadly black and red dagger zoomed by inches from his face.

He smiled to himself and blinked slowly, turning his head to look at Skyra, revealing a jagged scar running the length of his jaw. Skyra was staring right back with an unreadable expression.

"Why don't you ask your friend?" he answered, gesturing to the owner of the dagger and tracing his scar with a finger reminiscently. "Skyra," he said, giving a little bow and inclining his head so that their eye contact never broke. "Always a pleasure."

It took a second for the words to penetrate. _They know each other?_, thought Riku.

Skyra only responded by rushing at him and unleashing a storm of furious strikes. Her normally stony expression was broken by and aura of wrath and she seemed to be attacking with a new fury.

The mysterious man dodged the first attack matrix style and then leapt backwards out of her range, smirk widening. "Now, now, be careful who you mess with. We wouldn't want someone to get…_hurt_," he said, drawing his weapons and holding them backhand at the last word.

Long blades extended outward from each handle and curved out behind him, fashioned exclusively for reverse grip. The silvery metal gleamed dangerously in the brilliant sunset, the man's form beginning to cast a dark shadow over the ground.

Skyra quickly pressed the offensive, closing the distance between them and resumed her assault. The man was excellent at avoiding her attacks, but didn't hesitate to return the favor. He and Skyra were both nothing more than blurs, chasing each other back and forth and clashing with loud clangs of metal.

Riku was watching them in vague astonishment, finally noticing that the Heartless had ceased attacking, when something small and cold attached itself to his injured arm. Looking down, he realized it was Ardeo.

The dragon's touch made the cut burn even more so he tried pulling him off, but Ardeo held on stubbornly, digging his claws uncomfortably into his skin and making a sort of clicking noise at him. Riku didn't know what to do at first, but then realized that he could now communicate with the little creature, so he focused his mind on him once again.

This time, he did not go so deep into the dragon's senses, so he wasn't feeling completely detached from himself. _What is it? _He asked in a slightly annoyed tone of thought.

Ardeo answered, telling him sternly to hold still. Confused, Riku reluctantly ignored the pain and obeyed. A refreshingly cool sensation spread over his body, relieving his overheated muscles. It moved up to his arm where Ardeo was still holding on snugly and wrapped around it like a blanket, causing the pain to stop as new skin grew over the wound.

Riku looked back at Ardeo with new amazement, he felt completely reinvigorated! He thanked him with a silent nod, remembering what Skyra had told him about the dragon and understanding the reason why he was unaffected by Donald's thunder attack.

_He is impervious to most magic and is an excellent healer…_

He turned back to Skyra, who was still going at it with that strange man. He tried to help her, but their squall was simply too ferocious- getting in the middle of that would be as stupid as walking straight into a hurricane.

He watched helplessly at the two combatants as Ardeo hid behind his neck, making uncharacteristic growling and snapping noises at the strange man.

* * *

**Sora **tried for the fifth time to break through the wall of Heartless separating him from Kairi, only to fall painfully onto his backside. He looked up in alarm as a bunch of Guardian Heartless hovered closer and simultaneously fired powerful beams of blue-white energy at him.

Suddenly, Roxas appeared right in front of him, bringing up his keyblades in an X as the lasers crackled through the air, and redirected the beams back at the Heartless, causing them to explode in dying shrouds of darkness.

"Thanks," said Sora gratefully as he got back onto his feet to reduce another Deserter Heartless to oblivion. The Heartless were now flinging themselves relentlessly at them and the two keybladers weren't far from collapsing out of sheer exhaustion.

Roxas was taking them out efficiently from the air with a series of artful strikes and slashes, but the weight of his two keyblades was starting to drag him down as well. He landed, breathing heavily, and was knocked hard to the side by a sixteen- foot Guard Armor.

Roxas let out an involuntary yell of pain as he was tossed jarringly into a wall, falling limply to the ground.

Alarms rang in Sora's head as he rushed to his Nobody's side, but a wave of Heartless was already jumping at his unconscious form. He wasn't going to make it! Time seemed to stop entirely as he ran toward the airborne Heartless.

Out of nowhere came a brilliant flash of green light and the Heartless were caught in midair by some kind of shining form. The glowing blur moved faster than anything Sora had ever seen, dashing to each black creature and obliterating it without stopping, leaving a ghostly trail of glowing green light behind.

Sora stared in utter surprise as the phantom-like object danced all around him, bouncing through the air taking out any unlucky Heartless in its path. Finally, it flipped through the air and came to rest in front of Roxas, the shimmering glow fading so that he could see what it really was.

* * *

**Roxas's** hand twitched and he groaned faintly, lifting his head and looking up with bleary eyes. Standing in front of him was someone he'd never seen before.

A girl that looked to be around sixteen was grinning down at him over her shoulder. Hers eyes resembled emeralds surrounded by an outer ring of indigo and wavy brunette hair hung down to about armpit length. She was wearing a pair of jeans and a light blue formfitting T-shirt with an intricate dragon design. Over that was an unzipped light green jacket and her wrists were decorated with different colored bracelets, hair bands and charms; the only kind of protection she wore was a pair of elbow pads and fingerless leather gloves.

"You alright?" she asked him. Roxas nodded, confused, squinting at her feet. Attached to them were… _roller blades?_

"What kinda dumb question is that, Axxela?" said a new voice. "He just got launched into a wall!"

Just then, a boy who looked maybe a year or two younger landed neatly beside her. The girl shrugged. "Well, I had to say it, didn't I?"

The newcomer returned the gesture. He had similar features, though his eyes and hair were a bit darker. He donned a black vest over a red and black T-shirt; a pair of headphones hung around his neck, connected to what looked like an iPod in his pants pocket. On his right forearm was a spiraling metal protector that wrapped itself just above the skin and ended at a metal gauntlet.

"I guess so," he replied, "So much for being subtle…"

Axxela chuckled as the other boy reached down to help Roxas onto his feet. "Aw, you're just jealous because I make nicer entrances than you!"

At this point, Sora finally caught up to them, staring at the two strangers. "Who are you guys?" he asked as another wave of Heartless made their way over to them.

"Uh, I'm Axxela, that's Axhon, but there's no time to explain," answered Axxela, now looking at the oncoming mass of black creatures. "But I bet you wouldn't mind a bit of help?"

Sora smiled as they got into their battle positions.

"How about a little friendly competition?" suggested Axxela.

"You're on!" agreed Sora.

"I think I'm gonna regret it, but okay," complied Axhon.

"Just remember," warned the girl on roller blades, "I've already got a head start of about… thirty-seven Heartless."

"What? That didn't count!" argued Axhon.

"Oh yes it did, countered Axxela.

"Her element's speed," he murmured in Sora's ear. "Fine, you know what? HULK SMASH!" he shouted as he clapped his hands together forcefully. Out from the impact issued powerful sound waves which caused the Heartless in front of him to explode and fly off in all directions.

"I think your head start is at about five now," he said with a smirk.

"Bring it," said Axxela, grinning t the opposing Heartless like they were the most exciting challenge ever.

* * *

**The** dark man paused in the dance of battle, noticing that something was different. Avoiding another of Skyra's Knife Storm attacks, he backpedaled and looked up to see a girl in green and blue grinding on a raised walkway and sending neon shockwaves along the ground with her roller blades, as well as a boy in dark clothing shooting exploding sound disks and lashing at Heartless with two silver whips.

He scowled at their progress; nearly all of the sea of Heartless had been wiped out, which meant he was out of time. He brought up his scythe-like blades to deflect another relentless strike of Skyra's, the smirk returned to his face. For a moment, they held that position, neither gaining nor losing any ground.

"Well, he did say this was only a test run…" said the man to himself. Suddenly, he pushed Skyra back and flipped over her to dodge more daggers, landing on an awning to gaze back down at her and Riku.

"Sorry to leave so soon, my dear Skyra," he said tauntingly, "but I really can't afford to stay here any longer. It's been fun, though!"

With that, he raised his hand and threw something down between his feet. From it erupted a concentrated blast of thick smoke.

Skyra started, but he was already gone. Frustrated, she began stalking away mumbling incoherent obscenities at the ground, Ardeo soaring over to join her. "Wait!" said Riku, reaching over to grab her arm as she passed him. Her head snapped back violently and she gave him a look of utmost fury, causing him to let go and back up immediately.

She turned back, about to keep walking when Riku recovered. "Hey, who was that guy? Why does he know you?"

Without stopping, Skyra said tightly, "For the first answer, his name is Havok. This second answer is none of your business."

Behind him, Sora and the others were celebrating, but Riku ignored them. Staring after Skyra, he wondered how crazy that Havok guy had to be to make her so angry.

* * *

**Hi everyone!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`**

**Sorry it's so late, but I've had a whole week of soccer practices, homework, and a major case of writer's block.**

**Axel: *waves his hands mockingly* Oh, the horror!**

**Me: Quiet you, It's not as easy as it looks. *pulls out a giant chunk of chocolate* Mmmmmm. Hey Axel, do you want some chocolate?**

**Axel: Chocolate? …..CHOCOLATE?... CHOCOLAAAATE! *Flames erupt all around the room***

**CHOOOCOLAAAATE!**

**Me: O_O!**

**Axel: *calms down* Why thank you, I'm so flattered!**

**Me: -_- …. Well anyway, Axxela (Ex-cell-uh) was created by me and Axhon (Ax-un) was created by my little bro, Noah. Nice job, man! *thumbs up***

**Ahhh! I'm so happy! My awesome friend Sam let me borrow her PSP and Birth By Sleep, I started on Terra's story last night! Thank you so much, you deserve a hug from Marluxia, I know he's one of your favorites!**

***Marluxia portals in***

**Marluxia: Thank you, Sam, for loving me even though I have pink hair. *Hugs Sam***

**Axel: *glares at Marluxia***

**Marluxia: *notices and glares right back***

**Me: Hmmm, maybe I shouldn't have put these two together in the same room….**

**Well anyway, that was my first real battle scene, so review to tell me how I did. Hopefully they won't all be that long, just the important ones. Next update day should be on Sunday. By everyone!**


	6. Lost Freedom

**Hey everyone! You wouldn't believe my schedule, I didn't get to type a word of this until Friday- that's two days before when I was supposed to update!**

**Grrr…. Stupid research paper**

**Axel: Yeah, I burned the first copy on 'accident' ;)**

**Me: Which is why you will be washing the dishes tonight**

**Axel: What!**

**(Vexen walks in): I think it would serve him well to learn a little self control**

**Axel: Oh yeah, who asked you? (Summons Chakrams)**

**Vexen: (Hides behind Marluxia, pointing at Axel fearfully) D-Don't let him kill me again!**

**Me: As you can see, Axel was getting bored over here by himself, so I got some of the other Organization members here to keep him company…. I probably didn't pick the right people though…**

**(Zexion looks up from his book) I concur. Honestly, what were you thinking?**

**Axel: (snaps his fingers) Goodbye! **

**(Vexen screams and dives under the table, but nothing happens)**

**Axel: Gotcha!**

**(Vexen gets up looking very ticked)**

**Me: Well anyways, here's the next chapter. Thank you The Infiniator, zero hearted, Roxas key 6, fallen angel, falling into the dark, ashes of the light, and Silver and Gold Angels for reviewing the last chapter! I'd like to ask you anonymous reviewers to log in at least once, just so that I'm sure one guy isn't using your usernames to review to me or something stupid, thanks.**

**Also, Infiniator, sorry about the private message thing, I seriously don't know how it got turned off. Well, I fixed it, so now you guys can message me or whatever.**

**Sometime during math class today (Two Fridays ago, don't worry: we had just finished a test and I had nothing to do), more sweet ideas came to me! Yay, now I know how to fill some of those gaps that didn't occur to me before! On that note, enjoy!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

**Chapter 6: Lost Freedom**

* * *

"We did it!" shouted Sora, pumping a fist in the air. Axxela raced over, doing circles around Sora and Roxas, her emerald roller blades glowing. "Oh yeah, that was awesome!"

She and Sora both raised their hands to high-five each other. "Whew, I've never seen anyone use _roller blades_ to kill heartless before," he mused as he sat down tiredly.

She grinned, "Well, I used to ride them all the time when I was a-"

"-Axxela!" warned Axhon out of nowhere, striding into their little group. Kairi, Donald and Goofy had arrived, looking between the two as they caught the sudden bit of tension.

"What? HE's a Nobody and they don't seem to have a problem with him," Axxela reasoned, pointing her finger at Roxas. Kairi turned to stare in shock at said teenager. "Roxas? How are you-?"

The boy shrugged, "I have no idea." Sora took out the winged pendant, his blue eyes searching it inquisitively. "When Riku pushed me out of the way, this thing flew out of my pocket," he explained. When I touched it…er...," he gestured to his Nobody, unsure of how to explain it.

With Sora's permission, Axhon took the pendant from him, studying the sunset-colored heart carefully. After a moment, he said, "So this thing separated him from you?" Sora shrugged. Kairi spoke up, her question heavily inflected with confusion.

"Sora, I've never seen that necklace before, where did you get it?" In response, Sora shrugged yet again, looking down. Roxas turned and gave him a look of confusion, but he ignored it. Sora didn't want to reveal to them how he had received it from a voice (whose owner is yet unknown) while in some kind of dream-state on his mural. He could already envision the looks of his friends blatantly questioning his sanity. Besides the notion that they might not believe him, he also wanted to hold off on telling them until he actually understood what happened that night himself.

Roxas seemed to consider his display of mild dishonesty for a moment, and then returned his gaze to the two newcomers before him. "So, you guys are Nobodies too?"

Axhon sighed in exasperation; Axxela rolled her eyes, a bit annoyed. "Axhon, chill out, we can trust them." The other boy clearly did not share her opinion. Crossing his arms and looking away he mumbled,  
"You trust too easily."

"And you don't trust enough," she countered, "so I'm ignoring you."

She turned back to Roxas."Yep, we're Nobodies," she confirmed casually. Roxas smiled, suddenly energetic, "Thanks for helping us out back there, that was really cool what you guys did!" **(Aw, Roxas is complimenting me :P)**

"Sure thing," said Axxela, grinning as her weapons disappeared, reducing her height by about two inches. Axhon decided to "chill out" and gave a nod which clearly said "You're welcome."

"He was just worried that you guys might attack us or something. People have a whole lot of prejudices against Nobodies nowadays, not a good idea to hang around too long." Roxas immediately sympathized with them. "So, yeah…we're just travelling around, looking for…well, you know what I mean," she said with an almost sad expression. The others nodded in understanding.

"We won't attack you," promised Donald, placing his hand over his heart. "You guys helped us!"

The girl's expression immediately flicked back to its usual cheerfulness, she gave her companion an "I told you so" look.

"It's not that bad though, not having hearts," Axxela continued. " Besides that, all I really have to worry about is keeping this guy in check," she said as she grabbed a surprised Axhon, securing his head under her arm and rubbing the top of it with her knuckles.

He struggled for a moment before finally succeeding in freeing himself, looking miffed. "Yeah, right," he retorted. "I thought that was my job! Do you have any idea how many times she got lost and I had to go find her?"

"Pfft, please, I wasn't lost! I was just exploring a bit… look, I would have found my way back eventually." She placed her hands on her hips, "Besides, just because you're almost as tall as me doesn't change the fact that you're my little brother."

He narrowed his eyes at her, giving his head a little shake in irritation, his sister returned the gesture.

At this point, Riku walked by, looking perplexed;Axxela and Axhon broke their sibling banter to stare at him in interest. Sora also turned to him. "Hey Riku, Roxas is back!" he said, waving a gloved hand above his head.

Riku halted, looking up from his confused thoughts. He gave the three Nobodies a surprised look, though his mind seemed too occupied to care quite as much as he should. "Oh, uh…Roxas, what are you doing outside of Sora?" he asked. Roxas grinned, "I don't know, but it's awesome!"

Riku then turned to the other two Nobodies. "And who are they?"

Sora answered, "Oh, they're a couple of Nobodies that came out of nowhere and destroyed all those Heartless." He paused, "She fights with roller blades!" Riku blinked his brilliant green eyes behind a shock of silver bangs. _Sure, why not? It's not like anything else makes any sense around here._

"O-okaay," he said slowly. Sora began looking around as if he had lost something. "Hey Riku, where's Skyra?"

"I have no idea," he said with a sigh. "She said that guy's name was 'Havok' and then left looking pretty ticked." Axxela tilted her head in contemplation, "Havok… hey, isn't he that guy we heard about once? You know, at that place?" Axhon shrugged.

"You know him?" asked Riku. "Not really," said Axxela, "I think he's a bounty hunter or something. Not really sure though, because whatever he does is pretty secretive." _Wonderful,_ thought Riku sarcastically,_ now we're being hunted._

Sora's eyebrows knitted together. "A bounty hunter, huh?" he murmured as he raised a gloved hand to his chin, "We'd better be careful." His concerns for Kairi's safety suddenly rose to torment him once more with visions of worst-case scenarios and worries of what he would do without her.

Roxas was now completely over the shock of finally escaping from inside of Sora, now feeling simply overcome with joy at seeing other Nobodies like him, and with that, oblivious to the potential gravity of the situation. "Hey, guys, wait here!" he exclaimed with a childlike grin, bringing up his fists excitedly. "I'll get us some ice cream!" And with that, he ran off towards the nearest ice cream shop.

The group had taken a moment to rest while Roxas bought them all legendary Sea-Salt ice cream pops. They made their way together towards Station Heights, where the massive clock tower rose above the tram station, a symbol of serenity in Twilight Town, watching over its homes imperiously. Skyra had since appeared out of nowhere, silently joining in their little hike up the sloping paved roads. She kept a stony, silent demeanor about her and said nothing to any of them; her ice cream remained neglected in her hand, slowly melting and leaving behind blotches of light blue to soak into the pavement below. Riku was still desperately curious about the incident earlier, but, knowing he would make no leeway with the subject, considering Skyra's current mood, abandoned all hope of extracting any information from her. Kairi was also curious about the way Skyra was acting, but Riku told her that she wasn't telling him anything, so Kairi (much to Riku's amazement) resolved to ask her later, since she _was _the only other female amongst them.

Ardeo, however, was now getting to know Axhon and Axxela, the latter taking extreme interest in the little creature. Apparently dragons were he favorite animal, and she was immensely enjoying being able to pet him and watch as he did little flips in the air. Roxas was chatting with them happily and arguing over who had really won the Heartless-killing competition, getting brain freeze on another bite of his favorite snack. "So anyway, what exactly is your element?" asked Roxas. Axhon regarded him with a mischevious smile and answered his question with one of his own, "Can you say something for me so I can show you?"

Roxas gave him a confused look before shrugging. "Um... how much wood can a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chu-" Suddenly, Axhon snapped his fingers and Roxas continued moving his mouth, though no sound came out. Roxas clutched his throat in surprise, finding himself mute whenever he attempted to speak. Axhon chuckled and snapped his fingers again, this time Roxas let a goatlike cry and became increasingly panicked. Axxela laughed and said, "Alright Axhon, lay off him." He snapped his fingers once more, granting Roxas the power to talk again. "-Whoa!"

Ahead of them, Riku and Kairi laughed their heads off as Sora nearly tripped, splattering his ice cream all over his face in the process

When they finally arrived at the expanse of open space in front of the Station, Sora, Riku, Kairi, Skyra, Donald and Goofy stood together with their backs to the double-door entrance while Axxela and Axhon faced them from a few feet away. The golden sun was nearly halfway submerged in the horizon, the tan buildings and colorful signs beginning to cast growing shadows on the clean paved roads. Though the sun never fully set or rose, it did get dark in the later hours of the day in which many chose to sleep.

"Aw, you guys can't come with us?" asked a sticky Sora somewhat sadly.

"Nah, we got stuff to do, searching for our hearts and all that," replied Axxela. Roxas gave his shoes a downcast look. At this, Axhon put his hands up in front of him, trying to do damage control. "Hey, don't worry- I'm sure we'll see each other again."

Roxas looked up. "Right," he said, putting on a little smile. Axxela cocked her head. "Funny," she observed, "I had the same feeling… Well," she said, "see you guys later!" The others returned her wave, saying things like, "Good luck!" as she extended her right hand to her side.

Suddenly, a swirling dark mass appeared in front of it, coming up out of the ground and expanding with a _whoosh_ until it was taller than Axxela. She had summoned a portal, an ability that all Nobodies were gifted with. The writhing shroud of black mixed with dark blue was a bit out of place in the peaceful twilight setting, but the others gave their cheerful thanks and goodbye's nonetheless. Ardeo flapped over to give them both a nudge in the chin, chirping soothingly. Axxela chuckled, giving him a little hug and watched as he soared over to Skyra.

The brown-haired girl gave one last grin and walked directly into the Dark Corridor disappearing completely; Axhon brought up his hand in a mock salute and was devoured by the vortex as well.

After climbing up the pale stairs leading to the station, Sora walked over to the ticket vendor's tinted window and ordered seven tram passes, sliding his handful of munny into the semicircle slot. Sure enough, when they walked past the vendor and into the wide station area, waiting innocently before them was the purple and gold tram car, decked with moons and stars, with star-shaped windows. _Just like last time, _thought Sora, recalling how he had done the exact same thing to get to Yen Sid prior to his last adventure.

They each took a seat inside the car, Riku leaning towards the window to get a better look as Donald fought Sora for another window seat. _Idiots,_ thought Riku with mild irritation, _there's like, twenty seats in here._ Next to them, Kairi tried to end their petty squabbling by pushing them apart and saying, "Sora, there's plenty of other seats!" and "Donald, you're supposed to be the adult here!" Goofy simply sat there quietly; in all honesty he was probably the most mature one in there, despite being a little awkward and uncoordinated sometimes.

The two "idiots" finally stopped bickering when a bemused Roxas suddenly began glowing in the seat before them. He shot up, taking a few backwards steps in alarm as his bright blue eyes darted between his upturned hands. He was now surrounded by a shimmering aura. "Wha-what's happening?" he said, frightened, as a strangely familiar sensation spread over him.

With horror, he realized what was happening. Looking up into Sora's eyes, he knew the boy must be thinking the same thing. Before he could react further, the light around him reached a new pitch and he dissipated into many luminous orbs, which then converged upon Sora, setting him in a glowing light as well. As Sora's glow faded, Ardeo took up residence on top of a leather seat and stared at the space in which the blonde had just been standing, chirping and swishing his arrowhead-tipped tail in confusion.

Sora once again took out the heart-shaped pendant. As an indicator that Roxas was no longer outside of his Somebody, the multicolored heart's smooth cracks had sealed up and both mechanical wings snapped back firmly into their folded positions. A faint humming was emanating from the object as Sora stared at it

* * *

**Roxas **was thrown unceremoniously onto his back, sliding on the smooth surface of his Station of Awakening as he burst through the door that had suddenly appeared there. He lifted his head, staring wide-eyed at the same door he had entered when Sora first touched the mysterious pendant. It was going to disappear!

"No! Wait!" he cried getting back up and throwing himself at the silver gateway to the outside world. He rushed at it and reached for the quickly closing gap between its two doors, only to pass through a wall of mist and crash onto the bright stained glass mural. The sound of him collapsing to the floor reverberated through the empty space.

Slowly, he picked himself up onto his knees, staring solemnly at the brilliant depiction of Axel below him. He moved so that he was in a sitting position, placing his elbows on his knees. Sitting alone, he let devastation set in.

After what felt like the longest time, Roxas had finally had a taste of freedom. He was allowed to walk independently in the streets of his favorite world, meet other Nobodies like him and even eat his favorite ice cream, only to have it all snatched away from him again.

He drew himself closer, hugging his legs. "Figures," he said gloomily into the silence, "Should've known it was too good to be true…" He closed his eyes let head fall heavily into his arms. He could never be his own person…

* * *

**Back** on the tram car, Sora was frowning out the window at the magically changed scenery. From the twilit sky and forests of pine surrounding Twilight Town, the car had accelerated to what Sora thought must be way above its speed limit, the velocity increasing also the roaring noise made by the car passing over the tracks below. A blinding phosphorescent light had come out of nowhere and engulfed them for a moment and they were now moving through a deep blue void at high speed, and were now traveling on floating tracks, green blankets of aurora borealis dancing across the sky. Beautiful though it was, Sora wasn't enjoying it much, though Ardeo seemed to think it was simply amazing, making a series of strange purring noises next to Kairi's ear.

In the twenty-minute period it had taken them to get this far, they had explained to Skyra who Roxas was and why they thought he had become temporarily detached from Sora, after which she simply said, "Interesting…" and turned back to tightening the straps of the leather armor on her elbows. Sora was getting worried: any and all attempts to contact Roxas had been rejected.

Being once more a part of his Somebody, Sora wasn't quite sure if the rule of not having a heart still applied to Roxas: sometimes he looked genuinely moved. He hoped Roxas was alright, understanding that it must be difficult to be trapped inside someone else, not to mention somewhat awkward. Both Riku and Kairi agreed that he should wait until Roxas was ready to talk, and also ask Yen Sid about the bizarre event when they got there. Speaking of which-Sora looked ahead of the tram car's path. They should be just about there by now…

Suddenly another flash deposited them high above orange and gold clouds broken only by round green mountain peaks. The sky above was a deep blue-black. Just then, a large shadow loomed into view. There it was! Sora hopped to his feet as the floating tower became clearer, one large spire twisting in a slightly haphazard way from a giant chunk of hovering earth. The tram car followed its detached set of rails until it came to a screeching halt at the edge of the miniscule world known as the Mysterious Tower. One by one, the group stepped over the small chasm separating them from the grass on the other side.

A short grassy path leads through a line of large bushes on either side, which served as barriers so that visitors would not fall into the endless golden abyss below. A wide marble staircase connected to a fairly large mahogany door in one side of the tower, the building itself was sturdily set in bricks of soft yellow and topped with green roofs. Inside, Sora knew that spiraling staircase wound itself up to the topmost room, in which the great Master (or former Master, Sora wasn't quite sure) Wizard Yen Sid resided. As far as Sora knew, the guy never came out of his tower. He, Donald and Goofy lead the way, already having made the same trip before, through the foot-thick double doors (which was also decorated with a large moon on on door and a star on the other) and onto the magical staircase leading up from the foyer.

The room was filled with sounds of footsteps as Riku, Kairi and Skyra followed them for about a minute, until the winding stairs ended abruptly at a swirling red mass before them. Sora, Donald the Court Magician and Goofy, Captain of the Guards, already knew this was simply a portal and jumped through without hesitation. The others regarded the glowing scarlet wormhole with looks of uncertainty until Skyra, obviously the fearless one, stepped in after them.

After climbing several detached segments of stairs floating about in the hollow interior of the tower, (which seemed much larger on the inside) the group finally took the last portal into a huge round room lit with dozens of different sized stars. On the far wall, was another arced door set into the wall with a thick cinderblock doorframe. Through that was another room just like it, but illuminated with moons (Sora was happy to discover that they were not filled with heartless this time). FINALLY, they made their way through the threshold and into a smaller, dimmer space; Ardeo was heard cooing curiously from Skyra's shoulders.

Bookshelves loaded with novels thick and thin were placed along the walls and several clay pots were scattered here and there; a chalkboard sat on an easelnear a tall set of ornately carved deep green double doors. Sora smiled as he breathed in the enticing smell of cherries, _Yen Sid must have changed it from cinnamon,_ he thought to himself.

Before them sat a plain wooden desk, behind which rested, as usual, the cobalt-robed Yen Sid **(Disney backwards, lol)**; his hands placed in his lap while his pointy star and moon-spangled halt sat erect atop his gray-haired head. His thick dust-colored eyebrows matched the mane of long hair that framed his cheeks and mingled with his beard, which came down in two separate points. He had stern, round set eyes with small pinpoint pupils that seemed to bore right into them, as if he could read their innermost secrets as easily as any book. This made Sora inwardly squirm in discomfort. He couldn't tell if the others felt the same way or not, but he could see that Skyra only returned his steady gaze with a cool, serene disposition.

This time, Sora remembered to bow in respect to the wise man before him. Placing one hand on his chest and dipping his head, he said politely, "Master Yen Sid, you wanted to see us?" The others mimicked his gesture, Donald positively beaming that Sora had, for once, not displayed his usual good-natured, but disregardful, head-in-the-clouds attitude.

Yen Sid blinked owlishly, nodding his head and waving one hand to acknowledge the greeting. His movements held a certain grace that flowed smoothly despite his old age. The lines running from his almost triangular nose and down past his firm lips wavered as a small, rare smile showed itself.

"Sora," he began in a deep voice which seemed to have the ability to draw one's attention instantly, "it is good to see you back here so soon." He turned his gaze to Riku.

"And it seems you found your missing friend."

Riku gave a meaningful smile and looked fondly down at the ground. Sora had indeed found him, wandering in the dark with nothing but a haunting past of mistakes and shame of them for company. He had been accepted back without hesitation, all of his transgressions completely overlooked. For that, he was grateful, and would stand by Sora no matter what. A friend like him deserves that, he figured.

"Yup!" said Sora with joyful grin,"Mission success!"They may have been sent on another quest, but at least this time they were together. Yen Sid nodded, turning to the only two girls there. "Kairi, Princess of Heart, and Skyra. I am pleased to finally make both your acquaintance." Both nodded in response.

"Now, down to business," he said with a more commanding air. "I believe that my old apprentice Mickey has informed you all of your task?"

"Uh-huh, we gotta go to the new worlds and figure out where Arcadia is before Xemnas," said Donald confidently.

"Yes," nodded Yen Sid, "that is your main objective; however, Arcadia is a sacred place that exists on a plane that neither you nor I can merely visit. You cannot simply find where it is located and go there." Donald seemed to have deflated. "You see, it is my belief that Cyrus, the man who discovered Arcadia, left clues as to how to access this unexplored place."

Sora frowned; this quest just got a whole lot more complicated. "Okay… so then what are these 'clues' supposed to be?"

Yen Sid blinked slowly. "I am afraid I possess no knowledge of their nature, however, this symbol may be of some consequence." With that, he gave a slow, waving motion of his right hand. With a flash, a thin object appeared, floating in the air in front of him. He made another sweeping motion and it sailed gently over to Sora's hand. The others leaned in to get a better look at the piece of mangled parchment in his grasp.

The paper was old and faded, tinted a yellow-brown with age. It was no wider than three inches because the edges were burned and irregular, and the light cast the symbol inscribed in black ink into sharp relief. The marking looked like some kind of seal: a dragonfly perched on a set of balanced scales, which sat on a background of a combined sun and moon. "Now then," the aged wizard continues, "I believe that there is something that you are very much wanting to ask me, Sora?"

Said boy gave a surprised look, "Wh-what?" Yen Sid gave a little smile. "I may be old, Sora, but that does not mean I cannot sense when something is on your mind."

Riku and Kairi gave him the same an encouraging look, and he suddenly remembered the incident in Twilight Town and on the tram car. "Oh yeah! Master Yen Sid, when we were in Twilight Town, this thing came out of my pocket," he said as the pulled out the amulet, its wings still folded tightly. "I picked it up, and then Roxas came out! It was weird, he could walk around and even fight heartless all by himself…"Sora glanced up from the pendant in his hand, "Do you know anything about this?"

The old wizard gave the object a piercing stare and, with another wave, bid it come to him. The pendant leapt out of Sora's hand and came to rest, rotating before Yen Sid. He contemplated it for a moment before dismissing it back to Sora.

After a brief silent moment, he said, "There seem to be forces at work here that even I do not pretend to understand. Roxas is a part of you, Sora. He and you share a deep connection, and without one, the other would be incomplete. I urge you to be careful with this object's power, though it may be useful, the constant separation of Nobody from Somebody could be more dangerous than any of us realizes." Sora nodded at the grave warning and placed the object back where it belonged.

"Now then-" But Yen Sid was suddenly interrupted when the large green set of doors burst open, followed by the three fairies, Flora, Fauna, and Merriweather. Flora wore her usual red dress, Fauna her favorite green, and Merriweather her deep blue. Each fairy had graying hair and a look of grandmotherly excitement on their face.

"Sora dear," exclaimed Flora as she took his hand in hers, "We've missed you, what a surprise!" Sora nodded his head in agreement, a bit uncomfortable and startled at their sudden entrance. _It sure is… _he thought to himself, silently cursing Yen Sid for not telling the fairies ahead of time. If the room was crowded before, it was now absolutely stuffy.

Merriweather was now shaking the hand of an equally weirded-out Riku, saying things about how she always wanted to meet him, being Sora's best friend and all. Kairi ended up with Fauna, the kindest one, and seemed to be getting along okay despite her surprise. If one looked away from the three excited fairies, they would notice that Yen Sid had closed his eyes and pinched the ridge of his nose with his fingers in exasperation.

Skyra tried to back away from the chaos, but was also caught up in the attention when Ardeo drew the curious eyes of Flora and began skittering up and down her dress (Oh my, what a strange little creature!). Donald and Goofy chuckled to each other at the awkward positions their companions had been placed in. When the three finally had enough, they all jumped in front of Sora, whipping out their wands.

"Would you like us to make you all new clothes?" Fauna asked him as fairys' wands began sparkling pink, green, and blue respectively. They had after all been the ones who created Sora's current outfit at the start of his last adventure. "Come on now," she urged her companions, "one, two, three-"

"-NO!" shouted Sora, bringing up his hands to stop them from casting any spells. Remembering their constant bickering over whether his clothes should be pink, green or blue as they waved their wands to send streaks of color at him, Sora had decided to never ask the fairies to make him new clothes EVER again.

"We-uh…we don't need any new clothes, thanks," he said, trying to talk his way out of another half-hour of color-shifting garments. Merriweather looked a bit disappointed, "Are you certain, dear?"

"Uh yeah- it's alright, our clothes still fit us!" reasoned Sora.

"Oh…" said Flora, "Well, that's alright, we're really just happy to see you again." She thought for a moment, "I know, why don't we do this instead?" She twirled her wand and gave it a little flick in his direction. Sora's right arm was suddenly ablaze in a magical glittering light which slowly grew until Sora had to cover his eyes. When he blinked them back open again, his forearm was now encased in metal armor which came up to his elbow. The metal itself was a shimmering gold that gripped the underside of his arm like claws, while a portion of the top was of the darkest black leather. Etched in matching gold markings upon the leather, was the image of a mighty lion that seemed to pulse and glow.

Seeing the look of amazement on Sora's face, the other fairies decided to do the same thing for everyone else. In three more bursts of light, Skyra, Riku and Kairi all bore similar armor, each one ending in a protective gauntlet with many sliding joints at the wrists so as not to restrict movement. Riku's was dark purple and black, a pulsating violet yin-yang symbol rested in the heart of some kind of beast that looked like a magnificent cross between a raven and a swan. Kairi marveled at the light greenish-blue tinged of her armor and the soaring sea-green Pegasus which dominated her leather portion. Skyra's was silver with hot pink highlights around the black leather, on which a glimmering silver wolf was portrayed howling at an eclipsing moon.

The group could do nothing but gawp at the artfully crafted equipment (which was so light one might not have noticed they were there at all), Flora, Fauna and Merriweather all looked extremely satisfied. Donald and Goofy searched themselves, but found nothing new about them. "Hey! What's the big idea?" complained Donald, feeling ripped off. "How come we didn't get anything?" The three fairies shrugged in apology, Sora figured they weren't experienced in tailoring ducks and dogs.

Suddenly, Yen Sid broke Donald's rant, taking a deep breath and looking up, clearing his throat as he did so and earning everyone's attention once more. The fairies put on slightly embarrassed looks and quieted down.

"As I was saying," began Yen Sid, trying to suppress his annoyance, "this journey will be fraught with considerable danger; your physical strength as well as the strength of you hearts will be tested. This armor," he said, gesturing to their arms, "is infused with a special magic that will help protect you and enhance your natural abilities. Learn to unlock its hidden abilities and they will come to you when you most need them." Again, Donald looked jealously at the others. "Put your faith in each other, and never forget your mission," said Yen Sid, summing up the situation. "Do you all understand?"

Everyone immediately straightened up in salute with a collective, "Yes, sir!" Yen Sid nodded in stern approval and tossed something in Sora's direction (not with magic, he just threw it!) Sora came out of his salute, fumbling for the object, which turned out to be some kind of mechanical bracelet-looking gadget.

"Next time," said the aged wizard with a slight smile, "I would advise that you not forget to bring the return device with you." Sora clamped the smooth metal object to his left arm with a chuckle, trying to wipe the embarrassed smile off his face. Kairi, Riku, Donald, Goofy and Skyra all gathered close to him, understanding that this was their ride out.

"Goodbye dears, be careful!" waved Fauna, the other fairies also saying goodbye. The group returned the cheerful farewell and thanks as Sora pressed a green button on the bracelet, Ardeo also waving a scaly paw and chirping. A circle of energy surrounded them, casting their bodies aglow and increasing in its intensity until one could barely make out any detail.

"Farewell and good luck," said Yen Sid just before they disappeared. He rested a bearded chin on his folded hands. _They're going to need it_.

* * *

**I'm so sorry it's late everyone!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

**Even after I finally got to start on this, I was still preoccupied to the point where I couldn't even get on the computer, what with all the soccer games and practices. Speaking of which, the first game we won, and the second one was crap. Not mention practice the day after, in which I froze my fingers off (being the goalie) and almost snapped from dehydration, which I hate doing. :(**

**Besides that, this stupid ERROR thing kept popping up whenever I tried to add a new chapter, so that's another reson this is late. Also, roxas key6 (A.K.A. Noah), you made it too obvious that your actually my little brother so stop acting like you aren't.**

**Anyway, yay for cool armor! Also, our first world will begin next chapter (FINALLY) and I'm really excited for it!**

**Axel: Yeah, just watch out for Captain Flint! Arg!**

**Me: Dangit Axel, no spoilers!**

**Axel: (brings up Chakrams to block incoming ice shards) That the best you got Blondie?**

**Vexen: Rrrrr… I shall freeze you! (sends more gigantic blasts of ice)**

**Me: Hey! You idiots are tearing up my house! That's it! Vexen! In the corner! Axel, you too!**

**Marluxia: (chuckles while eating his popcorn)**

**Axel: What? Why do I have to?**

**Me: Because if it wasn't for me, you wouldn't be here, so go and don't make me tell you again.**

**Axel: Grrr…. Fine. (Walks away)**

**Me: Heehee, blackmailing is fun!**

**Zexion: (looks up from his book) Finally, some peace around here.**

**Me: Yeah, those two had better learn to put up with each other or I'm gonna kill them…**

**Anyway, hope you enjoyed the chapter, I made it extra long as a peace offering. Also, I'm posting whenever I plan to update on my profile, which may change depending on what happens and stuff. Sorry, but this may continue to happen untill soccer season's over. I know it seemed kinda cheesy with the whole "searching for our hearts thing", but I honestly don't know what else my Nobody might be doing...**

**So, yeah, Review please and see ya later!**


	7. RLS Legacy

**It's that time of the week again! Wow, if I had said "month", that would have been really weird... **

**Lol, anyway, welcome to chapter seven, in which we visit our first world. *smiles evilly* heheheh, I was up watching this movie and memorizing almost everything about it. If you haven't figured it out yet, let's just say that enormous amounts of adventure and awesomeness await on the R.L.S. Legacy!**

**(new reviewer)****Pain of the heart****- Uh…thanks? You said that this was "not a bad story", but if you're going to call me and amateur, at least spell it right.**

**Axel: Ooooh, Burn Baby!**

**Vexen: Axel! Don't burn the chicken too long!**

**Axel: Oops (turns off stove) …sorry**

**Me: O_o? anyway, I told you guys this at the very start of my story: "**_**Alrighty, since this **__**is**__** my first one, constructive criticism is very much appreciated. I consider myself more of an artist than a writer, but I've been told that I am at least semi-literate, so I'll try this thing out!**_**"**

**Remember that? Yeah, I am an amateur- this is my first story and it's a new territory for me. Like I said, I want constructive criticism, and pointing out that I'm obviously a beginner isn't constructive. So with all due respect, I don't take that kind of crap, would you like fries with that?**

**Axel (raises eyebrows): Dang…**

**Me: Sorry, I get like that sometimes; I don't mean anything by it, just stating my opinion. ****Also, don't do what Skyra does in this episode. I accept no responsibility for any choking persons you injure when trying to help them. ****So yeah, onward!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

* * *

After the group had teleported back to the Cygnus Gummiship from Yen Sid's, the remainder of the day had been spent in the expansive and noisy arcade room. There, Kairi had shown off her expertise in Dance Dance Revolution- Moogle Edition, blowing them away with amazing dance moves and making Donald lose his balance in his fruitless attempt to keep up. While Sora and Riku had a Guitar Hero showdown, Skyra continued to stand or wander around with her faithful dragon, casting the floor dark looks and hardly speaking at all.

Finally, Sora's grumbling stomach caused them to vacate the game room in search of food. They all figured that the kitchen they discovered earlier that morning was their best bet, and so set off to find it again. Not long later, they came upon a mini cafeteria-like room which was connected to the kitchen. It had a sort of retro feel to it; a few clear glossy picnic-style benches sat on a light blue floor. Lines of light traced a pattern shaped like Mickey's face along the floor, and a large glowing panel near an enormous window responded to one's touch by leaving a different colored trail behind whenever one's hands made contact with it.

"Wow." stated Riku upon entering the dining room, "He really set us off in style didn't he?"

Near the smoothie bar was a set of touch screen panels embedded in the wall, on which many tasty looking food items were displayed. Sora gave one of the screens an experimental tap and it automatically turned into a menu ranging from things like hot soup, to chips, sandwiches and desserts. He began selecting his order, his fingers becoming blurs as he rapidly chose numerous ingredient and condiments for his personalized Italian sub.

Kairi gave him a concerned look as his grin grew steadily wider and almost maniacal. "Uh, Sora," she said, seeing how many things he had already chosen, "you're going to break that thing if you keep it up."

When he had finished ordering, Sora waited impatiently where the food would be dispensed, jumping up and down and chanting, "Come on, come on, come on, come on!" as if it would make the process any faster. Finally, two toasted sub sandwiches piled high with everything available, as well as fries, fried chicken, pudding and an iced drink slid into an opening in the wall. Sora grabbed them eagerly and moved to sit at a table, immediately scarfing down his meal. The others did the same, taking their trays and joining Sora at the table as he ravenously shoved the sandwich down his throat.

The room rang with laughter and joyful conversation as Ardeo left little purple paw prints on the heat-sensitive glow panel. Sora continued to eat alarming speed, making more than just Kairi concerned for his health. Eventually, Riku said, "Sora, seriously, slow down, the food's not going anywhere." But Sora simply responded with, "Pfff, relaxch Rmikfu, itch not like (gulp) Imn gernna tchoke or shumthn." Riku raised an eyebrow.

Sora literally ate his words when his food got stuck in his throat and he started to gag, bringing up his hands as he fell over onto the floor. "Sora!" shouted Riku and Kairi in alarm, racing to his side. Sora kicked and squirmed, eyes shut tight and unable to breathe. "What do we do?" asked Riku. He'd never been very skilled in the medical field and didn't want to accidentally hurt Sora.

Finally, Skyra stood up, walking over to them and saying with a sigh, "Just punch him in the stomach already." The others threw her disbelieving looks, but moved out of her way nevertheless. Skyra knelt down by the still choking Sora (who was being held down by goofy and Donald), pulled out a fist, halfway uncurling the first two fingers, and aimed it down at Sora's stomach. She firmly gripped her wrist with her left hand and quickly thrust her knuckles down into his abdomen and up towards his ribs.

Sora's body convulsed violently as he opened his cerulean eyes in surprise and a chunk of mashed up food finally dislodged itself from his throat. It flew from his mouth before coming to rest several yards away; Sora fell back again, coughing and gasping for air.

"That is so nasty," commented Kairi, observing the discarded lump of Italian sub.

The spiky-haired brunette blinked open a pair of weary eyes as Riku waved his hand above them. He sighed in relief, "You really are an idiot aren't you?" Sora chuckled and shrugged at him from his place on the floor, and then Riku turned to Sora's savior. "Is that really how you're supposed to do it?" he asked her.

"It's one way," she replied, standing up. "Haven't you ever been taught to save a choking person?" They all shook their heads and Skyra muttered, "Great."

Sora's breathing finally evened out and Kairi asked if he was alright; Sora nodded, though his chest still seemed to be paining him. "Sora," said Kairi. "You should probably go to your room and rest, it's getting late anyway."

Donald and Goofy helped the boy to his feet and began to guide him out the door, Riku decided to follow them. When he noticed that Kairi wasn't coming, he glanced back and met her eyes with a significant look. Smiling, he kept walking while Kairi hung back with Skyra.

"Thanks for saving Sora," said Kairi, sighing as she sat down across from Skyra. "He can be such a kid sometimes."

"No problem," replied Skyra. "I often wonder how you deal with him on a daily basis."

Kairi chuckled, rolling her eyes. "He's not that bad, just a little quirky. You know boys." Skyra allowed a small chuckle in agreement. "So, you're friends with Mickey, right?" asked Kairi.

Skyra nodded with a somewhat bored expression while feeding bits of chicken to Ardeo, who took the meat and gobbled it up happily, lying down and chewing it between his paws like dog might do with a bone. "Yes," she confirmed, "He is an old friend of the family. I owed him a favor, so I chose to come along."

Kairi took a deep breath, now was the time to break the ice. "And, does that favor by any chance have anything to with a man named Havok?"

Skyra's fist clenched at the name.

"What he did to me is none of your concern!" Skyra's voice had changed, becoming hot with as she tried to keep it under control, jaw tightly closed. Her demeanor was now rigid and agitated, like a provoked tiger anxiously waiting for any excuse to attack. The room's casual atmosphere suddenly filled with a tenseness that seemed to radiate from Skyra, her scaly companion took notice of this, looking at her with what might have been a questioning expression.

Meeting Havok again had awoken memories buried deep inside her, memories that fueled a raging inferno of emotions. Her knuckles became white like the tongues of flame licking her insides as she recalled a brilliant flash and a bone-jarring shockwave, invisible but permanent scars from the day everything went wrong…

* * *

**(Flashback)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

A girl sat there alone; a small breeze playing softly with her black and pink hair, her head half buried in her arms, which sat upon her bent knees. Her dark jeans were ripped and torn in several places, and her unprotected arms bore small cuts and scrapes marked by streaks of dried blood. But this physical pain paled in comparison to the aching in her heart.

Her surroundings no longer sang of peace and harmony as they always had. The calamity that had occurred behind the stone steps on which she now sat had frightened off all birds and small animals- some trees had been badly damaged, branches snapped and withering- and even the once warm and comforting sun seemed to bear down harshly on her black hair. The dust still had not cleared, and clouds of it hung like forlorn curtains on a window that overlooked a dreary day.

Behind the eight-year-old girl were the recent ruins of her home. Parts of the roof had collapsed in several places. Bits of glass glimmered with their silent deadly threat here and there. Climbing out of the mess has been treacherous, as the marks on her arms would testify. But now that she had escaped, she did nothing but sit there for what could only have been hours, though they felt like days. And why shouldn't she? She had nothing. She sniffed, briefly opening her eyes and then closing them at the stinging thought: she had no one.

Suddenly, she heard something coming. She lifted her head a bit, her chocolate eyes finally looking beyond her scratched arms at a pair of familiar round feet; her gaze still held a hollowness still plagued by a dull aching sorrow. Her bangs restricted her from seeing the person's face, so she raised her head almost completely to meet the eyes of King Mickey, one of Father's dearest friends. His mousey features were graced with a look of similar loss mingled with sympathy; an aura of ever-present benevolent kindness surrounded him. He gave a small smile, he extended his hand to her: a silent offer for her to come and stay with him.

The girl stared at it numbly for a moment as if in debate, then, shifting slightly, took it and followed the mouse who was barely shorter than her away from the wrecked place**.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

* * *

**A small** prickling sensation broke through the solid wall Skyra had built around herself, threatening to make it collapse into rubble. It collected in her nose and eyes, heralding the coming of tears. She blinked them back immediately, forcing down those emotions again like she had done for such a long time.

Kairi had flinched a little at Skyra's previous reaction. She could tell she had been terribly hurt; a deep wound that had never quite healed had been inflicted upon her by this person. Kairi wondered how Havok was related to this; it was in her nature to help people solve their problems, but Skyra wasn't ready for that, not yet. The best she could do right now was to just help her deal with it and solve the problem for the moment.

"Skyra," said Kairi, "If..If it hurts to talk about it, I won't ask you. I promise."

Skyra relaxed a bit, though she did not look back up, instead gazing darkly down to her right. "…Thank you," she murmured quietly.

"But," began Kairi, plucking up her courage. "You have to understand, Skyra, if he's really that dangerous, we need to know how to be ready." Kairi's blue eyes hardened, backed by and unbreakable will. "I just want to know, I want to know that the others will be able to handle this, and I want to know that you won't endanger us because you want to get back at him."

Skyra thought for a moment in silence, and, in partial shock at Kairi's boldness. She hadn't thought of that. Being wrapped up in her anger towards Havok, she had not recognized the danger that Sora and the others had been placed in: with the bounty hunter's skills, them being the target was definitely a major concern. Could she put her enmity away for a moment and help them?

Skyra's deep brown eyes finally met Kairi's sapphire ones. "Alright," she agreed. She would tell her everything she knew.

* * *

**Sora** stirred faintly in his sleep; something cold seemed to be nudging his face persistently. He turned over onto his side with a groan and snuggled comfortably with his bed covers. Whatever it was that was annoying him leapt up onto his face and made strange cooing noises in his ear. When this coaxed no response from Sora, Ardeo, becoming irritated with him, took the boy's ear in his mouth and tugged firmly. Before the dragon could react, it got a face full of Sora's hand, which sent him flying away with a surprised cry. A satisfied smile appeared on Sora's face and he sighed contentedly.

A disgruntled Ardeo righted himself from his point of impact on the floor, glaring death at the sleeping boy. Clearly, the reptile would have to try a different approach. Gliding stealthily to Sora's mattress again, Ardeo searched the boy's exposed back before choosing _just_ the right place, threw back his head, and let loose a thin stream of purple fire.

Sora's oblivious expression changed to one of vague confusion; he wondered foggily if that smell was breakfast cooking before realizing that the source of that growing heat was actually-

Sora gave a surprised shriek.

-his pants.

He frantically ran about the room, much to Ardeo's amusement, shouting "Ouch! Hot! Hot!" until finally falling onto his back in exhaustion. Sora breathed hard with his eyes closed from his spot on the floor, relieved to have extinguished the searing heat on his backside. When he finally opened his eyes, he was met by a pair of bright violet ones.

"You," he growled, narrowing his eyes. Ardeo darted off of him as he rose to his feet, groping for the little nuisance which was responsible for setting his bum aflame. "You little pest! Get back here!"

The dragon taunted the flailing Sora by zooming about his head and chirping at him, and then flew out the open bedroom door. Sora hurriedly changed back into his fighting gear and continued his pursuit of the little creature down the brightly lit hallway. Sora finally caught up to the little beast and he glimpsed it turning sharply into a room. "I gotcha now!" he said to himself, tailing his prey like a hawk.

Sora burst into the room, but stopped short when he noticed that he and Ardeo were not the only one there.

"It's about time you finally woke up and got your lazy butt over here," said a familiar voice dryly. Sora turned to see Riku standing over by a somewhat sleepy looking Kairi, who was rubbing her lovely blue eyes wither hands.

"Good morning, Sora," she managed with a smile.

"Good morning," he replied before sticking his tongue out at Riku. Sora then noticed Donald and Goofy staring out a glass window into some kind of strange room. The wide expanse had a glowing grid pattern that neatly separated each square foot into sections. The pattern ran along the floor and walls, greatly resembling something that might have come from Tron's world. Suddenly, a door slid open and Skyra entered the room, Ardeo perched upon her shoulders. Sora narrowed his eyes at the creature, who merely played with a strand of pink and black hair cutely.

"So, the Keyblade master is here at last," greeted Skyra, who was clearly in a better mood today. "Thank you Ardeo, he didn't give you too much trouble did he?" The fluorescent green dragon purred contentedly as his companion scratched him behind his slender ears.

"Me give HIM trouble?" started Sora, looking scandalized. "Do you have any idea what he did to me?" Sora didn't notice it, but his hand was subconsciously rubbing his irritated backside.

"Choke on anything lately?" asked Skyra. Sora went quiet.

"Anyway, I had Ardeo wake you all up so I could show you this." She gestured at the glass window. "What you see before you is a specialized training room. Because of the, ah…incident yesterday, I decided it would probably be best if we use it."

Riku was amazed at Skyra's transformation. Last night, this "incident" had been driving her up a wall and now she was suddenly over it?

"What did you say to her?" he asked Kairi privately.

"Don't get too excited," she replied. " I still haven't found a way to convince her not to kill the guy whenever she sees him." Riku shrugged. He wouldn't try to stop Skyra while she was on a rampage; he didn't feel like being discovered at the bottom of a river with multiple stab wounds a month after his death. Kairi chuckled and stepped forward to deliver her share of the speech.

"The one who caused the Heartless attack yesterday is called Havok," informed Kairi. "He has messy black hair, blue eyes and a gang of extremely dangerous assassins who usually use arrow guns and stunning devices known as "tasers". His weapons include twin backhand wing-like blades, smokescreens, poison darts, and detonators; and is also an expert at who-knows-how-many kinds of martial arts."

Riku whistled and Sora raised his eyebrows in surprise. "…Whoa."

Kairi nodded knowingly. "I think that about covers it."

"Yes, but remember," warned Skyra. "He is ruthless, efficient, and deadly. He takes on clients and does their dirty work for money: he will kill you, and without regret."

On that note, Donald quacked, clearly a bit scared. Goofy looked worried as well. "This Havok person sure doesn't sound very nice… What're we gonna do?"

"We're going to use the training room, obviously," supplied Riku. "What we should be asking, is how does it work?"

"Very good, Riku," complimented Skyra. "You just might survive this quest after all."

Riku was a bit caught off guard, but quickly recovered and smirked in response. A brief moment went by in which the others looked from one teen to the other in a confused manner, but then Skyra answered his question. "I believe that I've figured out most of it. One enters the training area, and someone else watches from the control room and decides what to throw at them, so to speak."

"Hmmm… Well, I vote Sora goes first," stated Riku.

"What?" he cried. "Nuh-uh, no way. Not while _she's_ controlling it!" Skyra looked at Sora with an amused expression, he had his finger pointed in her direction.

"I second that!" chimed Donald, raising his hand.

"Donald, how could you?" Sora was beginning to fear for his life. Goofy also raised his hand with a chuckle.

"Goofy, you too?" Sora began backing up, Skyra suddenly came across as much more menacing to him. "W-well too bad, t-this isn't a democracy! I refuse to cooperate!"

Riku suddenly appeared behind him, grabbing his arms and holding him firmly in place.

"Now who said anything about cooperating?"

Chills of fear began running down Sora's spine and he struggled for his life, but Riku's lean arm muscles were more than a match for his slightly scrawny-looking ones. He changed tactics, trying to reason him. The best friend/pity factor should do the trick. "Heheheh… C-c'mon Riku old buddy. You c-couldn't let them do this to me, could you?" he pleaded desperately.

Riku seemed to consider the terrified Sora for a moment. _Hmmm…betray my best friend, or die…?_

He halfway considered playing the hero and holding them off so Sora could escape just for the heck of it, though he usually wasn't one for theatrics. When he didn't answer right away, Sora began to lose his cool.

"Please Riku, don't let them kill me, I'll do anything!" he looked over his shoulder at his captor, who grinned wider.

"Hmmm… I don't know, Sora. I'd love to help, but…"

Sora finally cracked, flailing even harder than before and yelling in protest. "No...no, please! Have mercy! Don't do this to me, I'm only fifteen!"

"Kairi!" he called, spotting her. "Kairi, please do something! Don't let them take me, I don't want to die!"

Kairi only stood there, having absolutely zero idea what to make of the situation. Before anything else could happen, however, the whole ship seemed to lurch with a booming sound usually associated with earthquakes. Sora was freed from Riku's grasp as he and everyone else were thrown violently to the floor.

An alarm rang throughout the chamber and red lights flashed as a disembodied female voice met their ears. "WARNING! WARNING! LEFT HULL AT 13% DAMAGE. PLEASE PROCEED TO COCKPIT VIA EMERGENCY ENTRANCE."

Sora shakily pulled himself to his feet through the rumbling, almost losing his balance, but managing to stand up by using the wall for support. He wasn't sure whether he should be relieved or worried that he had been saved from one problem, only to be thrown into another.

"Is everyone alright?" he called as the tremors subsided.

"I think so," answered Kairi, rubbing her head as Goofy helped her up.

Skyra was up and dashing to the now open door in a flash. Riku had managed to get up as well and followed her; the others quickly thought it best to do the same.

When the group emerged from the training room, they noticed that a part of the hallway opposite them was open. In the wall, it appeared that a section had slid away like a hidden door and lead into a corridor that ran deeper along the interior of the Gummiship. Giant red flashing arrows on either side of the opening clearly instructed them to do through it.

"Come on!" urged Skyra, running headlong into the emergency hallway. The others were quick to comply, following the opening in the wall into a wide space which lead only straight back and forth. One quick glance revealed that this part of the Gummiship connected to all other sections and served as a quick way to access the cockpit. Blaring crimson lights gave the hallway an ominous feel as pounding footsteps mingled with alarms and several more crashes.

Finally, a small staircase lead them through an emergency trap door. They emerged to find themselves in the middle of an asteroid storm; the computer screens on each separate seating pod were all flashing red and the windshield overlooked a maze of raging meteoroids.

Skyra was first to the control panel. She strapped down in the driver's seat, pressing a green button that read "Manual Mode".

"AUTO PILOT DISENGAGED," informed the omnipresent voice. A steering mechanism and various switches came out of the inside of the dashboard to be used manually.

Sora glanced at the radar which displayed many flashing red dots and looked up in alarm. "There's over nine-thousand!"

Skyra wasted no time in dishing out orders. "Sora, Kairi, Donald, Goofy! Take the plasma cannons and get rid of those meteors! Riku, you're with me. Strap yourself in and do whatever I tell you to, understand?"

Riku nodded and buckled up, the others shouted "Yes, ma'am!" and scattered throughout the room. The cockpit had a roughly semicircle shape; two spherical extensions which were equipped with double barrel cannons and rotating seats sat on either side of the massive windshield. Donald and goofy each took one of these, while Sora and Kairi raced up a ramp connected to a platform above the windshield. There, two more 360 degree blasters rested on gyro spinners designed to keep their occupants from swerving out of control. Sora took the left one and Kairi the right, both of them quickly getting to work eliminating the passing rocks.

Meanwhile, Skyra had her hands on the "steering wheel" which actually resembled a mechanism that might have come from inside a high altitude jet. With a dangerous looking smile creeping onto her face, she squeezed the red button on the gear shifter, bringing the high tech handle back and then jamming it all the way up for full speed; powerful engines whined to life in response and the Gummiship began to speed along at full tilt. Riku was instantly slammed into his seat, opening his fearful eyes to give her a concerned look as she maneuvered the ship out of the meteoroids' path. Applying barrel rolls and corkscrews as needed, the gleaming white and green ship moved like a phantom on the high wind, eluding the deadly salvo of meteoroids in a never-ending game of dodge ball. It seemed to be working, until the number of speeding rocks increased dramatically by the hundreds.

Skyra had her game face on, spinning and avoiding meteoroids like never before, the task beginning to go from fun to strenuous. "Rrrg… Where are they all coming from? We're in the middle of space, they shouldn't be moving this fast!"

Through the rollercoaster of chaos, things were surprisingly clear for Riku; he was determined this time to get over his motion sickness. "You think there's something behind us?" he asked.

Skyra's face lit up. "Riku, bring up the rear view camera!"

Riku brushed aside a strand of lock of silver hair tinted red by the blinking lights, feeling like a fish out of water amongst so many buttons and switches. He was an island boy, not a freaking engineer! Skyra seemed to sense his frustration.

"It should be in the category labeled 'outer visual', second column to the left- hurry!" she instructed.

He finally found it, scanning for the switch labeled "rear" and flipping it. A section of the windshield became a screen, giving them a horrifying visual of what was causing the meteoroids to move like this. Riku's eyes widened in fear, Skyra was busy focusing on the minefield ahead of them, but caught the image in her peripheral vision. "A wormhole!"

Indeed, a massive blue-violet vortex had appeared suddenly behind them, growing larger as it hungrily consumed the army of meteoroids. Suddenly, another collision shook the Gummiship, making Riku grimace.

"What are you guys doing up there?" demanded Skyra.

"Sorry!" called Sora, firing more incendiary rounds at a group of larger rocks to deflect them out of the left wind's path. "There's just too many!"

Another jarring quake shook them all like a child with a jar of bugs, nearly throwing Riku from his seat. Had it not been for the seatbelt, he wouldn't have been able to hold on. When he recovered, he glanced up and froze.

His arm numbly reached up to tap Skyra's shoulder to get her attention, but his eyes remained glued on the object hurtling their way. "Uh, Skyra…" he said, trying to speak through his suddenly dry throat. "We have a bigger problem."

When the pilot finally stopped reprimanding Sora for his lack of shooting skills, she too took notice of the enormous cratered mass of rock. The thing had to be over eighty miles long! It was an absolutely massive meteoroid that was roughly shaped like an ovalish egg, and it was also being affected by the wormhole's gravitational pull, rapidly picking up speed and flying their way like a bullet. Ardeo, who had been watching the action from Skyra's shoulder, disappeared somewhere inside her vest.

Skyra broke out of her momentary trance, veering sharply away from the giant chunk of debris, but was met with a wall of pale blue rock. It seemed that whatever small asteroids made it past the larger one had trapped them in some sort of tunnel. Skyra cursed her luck; they couldn't get out, and neither going forward nor backward were options right now. However, she wasn't ready to give up yet.

"Everyone, focus your fire on the big one, aim for the center!" In response to her command, four pairs of laser fire met in the heart of the meteoroid, slowly drilling a hole in its core. Skyra turned to Riku. "I want you to divert all power to the front shields, now!"

Riku chose a button that looked like might control shields and slammed it. Instead of shields, however, a pair of giant windshield wipers danced back and forth before their eyes. Skyra watched them for a moment before turning, ever so slowly, to the culprit. She had a restrained expression that was broken only by the murderous look in her eyes.

"Seriously?" she said in a tense growl.

Riku mutely turned the stupid wipers back off and tried again, this time actually finding a section for shield management and selecting a button to focus the shield power to the front. Glowing hexagonal shapes connected to form a wall in front of them, flashing once before becoming invisible again. This was obviously the desired effect, for Skyra was no longer yelling at anyone.

Small explosions erupted from the center of the monstrous meteoroid, sending smaller chunks of rock in all directions while deep cracks spread from the impact zone like vines. Skyra positioned the spacecraft so that they were heading straight for the expanding dent in the middle.

"Come on…come on…" chanted Sora. His fingers were growing numb from the pressure he was putting on the trigger. The annoying voice on the intercom kept repeating the same sentence over and over again: "WARNING! WARNING! METEORIC COLLISION IMMINENT! WARNING! WARNING! METEORIC COLLISION IMMINENT!"

Finally, Skyra answered it with a growl: "I am aware of that, you stupid computer!"

She disobeyed all safety regulations by standing up, turning around, and reducing the speaker to a bunch of shredded metal and sparks with a well placed black and red dagger. Riku cast her a sideways glance, though wisely remained silent as she sat down again and buckled herself back in, eyes still blazing.

The massively proportioned meteoroid loomed closer; a particularly large chasm was developing vertically through the center and more explosions sounded from it. Riku stopped breathing- they were out of time. The entire window was dominated with craggy rock as the distance between them closed.

"Brace for impact!" Skyra shouted above the mayhem as she steered the ship so that it was at the same angle as the large crack-

-The resulting collision threw them all forward violently with an earth shattering booming sound. Everyone except for Skyra had closed their eyes, but hers remained concentrated slits, witnessing how the Gummiship zoomed through the narrow opening and rocked each time the shields deflected shattering bits of the meteor's insides. The vehicle scraped by, down the endless tunnel until the giant asteroid exploded around them, splitting completely in two.

They finally emerged from the meteoroid's gaping mouth, a trail of fire following in their wake before receding into the oblivion of space. Cries of exhilaration followed by relieved laughter echoed throughout the room, they were free!

Riku sat inert with a stunned expression while Skyra wore a small, triumphant smile. She gave him a satisfied look with one eyebrow raised. Ardeo reappeared, looking a little sick. Sora fell back into his chair, arms still shaking from the adrenalin. He looked over to Kairi, who returned his grin. They were all simply immersed in the joy of being alive.

Suddenly, the Gummiship lurched forward again and creaked with a mechanical groan. Their ecstatic euphoria was broken when they realized that they were no longer moving.

"What's wrong?" asked Riku, turning his head about to inspect the ship. The place where Skyra's knife had landed crackled and continued to spit out sparks, the only sound that could be heard.

Skyra was jamming the gear shifter forward, checking status reports and fuel gauges as the engins continued to whine. "I don't know!" she said, becoming frustrated. "We're in full gear, why aren't we moving?"

Riku's eyes widened. "The wormhole!" It had to be, it was the only explanation for why the Gummiship seemed paralyzed.

The spacecraft groaned again and seemed to hang there for one sustained moment as reality set in. Then, without warning, the right wing dipped and the nose pulled back diagonally, giving way to the wormhole's greedy pull. Everyone yelled and screamed in unison, it was all they could do to just hold on as the Gummiship spun out of control.

For one frozen second, Sora saw the swirling bluish-purple vortex through the spherical glass of his plasma turret, and deep inside it… what appeared to be a thin crescent moon resting inside of the glowing green outline of a triangle. But that instant was gone quicker than the blinking of an eye and they were sucked into the abyss and consumed by a blinding white light.

* * *

**Sora** groaned and opened his eyes slowly, blinking a few times as his vision cleared to reveal…wood? The construction reminded him of the inside of Captain Jack Sparrow's pirate ship. He furrowed his eyebrows in confusion; there wasn't any wood on the Gummiship…

Quite suddenly, the nightmarish memories of their previous adventure on the spacecraft rushed into him as if a mental floodgate had been opened.

"The Gummiship!" he shouted, sitting up with a jolt. The sudden movement off-balanced the hammock that he had been lying on, causing him to topple onto the hammock below him and then onto the hard floor with a shriek that wasn't his.

"…Uhhn…Ouch…" He shifted slightly as he felt whoever he was laying on groan a little.

"…Sora?"

He lifted his head off Kairi's pink and white top and looked into her tired and somewhat surprised eyes. "Ah…good morning," he said, chuckling.

Kairi gave a little laugh. "Good morning, Sora."

The two stayed there for a moment, smiling as if in a trance. Sora was suddenly only aware of him and Kairi. Her face, her smile, the warmth emanating from her touch…

"Jeez, get a room you two," came a new voice, snapping them out of their reverie.

Sora and Kairi looked up in shock. Standing there was a boy of about nineteen, who seemed to be cleaning the wooden floor with a mop. He had loose, dull green pants that were held up by a belt with a copper buckle, and were tucked into old fashioned, dark brown boots which came halfway up his shins. He also wore a dark grey overcoat whose sleeves had been rolled up a few inches, and beneath that, a light brown undershirt.

His dark brown, windblown hair was parted straight down the middle, though at about ear level it was neatly shaven to a fine fuzz going slightly in front of his ears and down the back of his head. Really, the only unusual part of his hair style was that, near the base of his neck, strands of hair were braided until they poofed out, resembling the tuft on the tip of a lion's tail. Though thoroughly amused, he seemed a bit put-off that he was required to perform such a mundane task.

Sora and Kairi froze, faces turning as red as Axel's hair. They stared at the stranger and then at each other, just now realizing the awkwardness of their position. To Sora, the situation felt similar to being caught with your pants down, just a little different. Sora quickly released Kairi, getting up and looking away to hide his blush.

In his haste, he came into contact with another occupied hammock and a low groan escaped from it. Sora peeked inside to see Riku. He poked him to try and get him up, though the boy's only response was to gingerly touch the back of his head and hiss in pain.

Sora was suddenly interested in Riku's health, partially out of actual concern, and partially just to find something to do that would cover up his embarrassment. "What's wrong, Riku?"

"Uhhng… Must've been thrown from my seat..."

"How come? Did your seatbelt break?" Sora asked more loudly. Riku cringed from the intensity of his voice.

"Ugh…Sora, stop yelling… I've got one heck of a headache…" He covered his ears and rolled over.

"Your friend there suffered some bad head trauma," said the boy with the mop. "You should probably let him sleep."

Kairi turned to him in interest, the color in her face finally starting to go back to normal. "Um… Excuse me, but who are you?"

"James Hawkins, call me Jim."

Pleased to meet you," greeted Kairi, folding her hands in front of her like she had always done. "I'm Kairi, that's Sora, and the one in the bed is Riku. Thank you for taking care of us."

Jim looked a little surprised. "You've got some manners for being a stowaway," he commented.

Sora gave him a confused glance. "Stowaways? We're not stowaways."

Jim raised an eyebrow. "Heh, try telling that to the Captain. We found you guys passed out on the floor here and she's been going on about what to do with you. We're already too far from the Space Port, so going back isn't an option. Anyway, she wants a word with you guys in her office." He then muttered something that sounded like "May God have mercy on your souls."

That last comment, combined with his expression of mingled amusement and sympathy, made Sora nervous about how that Captain might punish them. They were telling the truth: they didn't sneak onto this ship, but it's not like they could just say that they were sucked through a wormhole and inexplicably transported here.

"Hey, have you seen anyone else around here?" asked Sora looking around. "A big duck and a dog, or a girl with pink and black hair?"

_Thump_

Sora and Kairi whirled around to see the missing Skyra rise from a crouching position. Apparently, she had just woken up and had dismounted her hammock with a considerably higher amount of grace than Sora.

"Yep, I think I found her," pointed out Jim.

"Oh," said Sora, casually placing his hand behind his head like a pillow. "Hey Skyra, didn't see you there."

She merely acknowledged him with a blink and a small nod, then: "Where are we?"

"The R.L.S. Legacy," informed Jim, resuming his mopping with a dull expression.

"WAAAAAACK!"

They all jumped at Donald's random outburst and flinched as he made a rather spectacular face plant on the floor. They turned to see the duck lying on the hard wood with a dazed expression; one could almost see the stars rotating around his feathered head. "Oooohhh," he groaned.

Goofy chuckled from his hammock; usually _he_ was the clumsy one. He waved at Sora and the others cheerfully. When Donald was able to stand, he and his companion came over and introduced themselves to Jim as well.

Sora thought for a moment. "Hey, did you say 'Space Port'?" he asked Jim. They were standing inside an old fashioned ship, what did that have to do with space travel?

Jim fixed him a look that clearly said "Are you stupid?" He shook his head as if talking to someone with a mental problem and went back to work. "You must've hit your head pretty hard during takeoff…"

Sora and Kairi shrugged at each other. They weren't getting any information out of Jim, might as well go see the Captain and get it over with. So, with nothing else to do, the three left Riku and Jim in the crew's quarters and headed up to the deck, though the scene they were met with was not at all what they had expected.

They emerged in a bustle of activity. Strange creatures of all shapes and sizes (most of which could be categorized as grotesque) were all busying themselves with various jobs; transporting heavy barrels, climbing rope nets to the masts, and other things requiring strength and balance.

Sora concluded that they must be aliens; one was nothing more than a giant, open-mouthed, grayish-purple head on feet with sharp pointy teeth and one eye mounted on a stalk, like a slug's. Some of them resembled animals or bugs, but others seemed to be in a class all their own.

One gargantuan creature with a heavily muscled grey body and a thin, braided black beard nearly mowed them down, harshly shoving them out of its path with one of its four arms.

"Watch it, twerps!" he growled threateningly in the deepest baritone Sora had ever heard. Unlike the rest of its body, the head of the creature was a reddish color. Sora, Kairi, Donald and Goofy all looked either shocked or frightened; however, Skyra's hand was twitching dangerously close to her belt, where she no doubt kept some of her deadly throwing knives. The hulk-like monster pounded away and Sora stared after it with wide, unbelieving eyes until Kairi tapped his shoulder lightly. She was staring up mutely with an expression of awe, so the brunette Keyblader followed her hand to see what she was pointing at.

He suddenly understood what Jim was talking about. Well, sort of.

Instead of blue skies above and rolling ocean below, the R.L.S. Legacy was literally sailing through space! Beautiful, sweeping clouds that seemed to be tinted pale orange and pink by an invisible sunset surrounded them. The clouds appeared to glow with their own light, and whatever sky that could be seen beyond them was of the most brilliant hot pink and gold, on which small stars sparkled like specks of glitter on a canvas. They were speeding through a nebula.

Sora focused his gaze in the sails. There were three main masts consisting of thick and strong-looking dark timber. Each of the large mats had at least three major sails, and triangular ones were attacked to the stern. Though there was barely a breeze, they were fully expanded. He was confused at this until he noticed, upon closer inspection, that elongated hexagonal veins patterned the pale fabric, and brilliant orange lights pulsed through them.

_That's how they work_, thought Sora. The sails operated on solar power, and judging from the distant humming, fed that energy to engines located near the rear of the ship. And the nebula provided that light, which was why they were passing through it.

"You there!"

An alarmingly tall and broad-chested man strode up to them. He boasted an impressive and intimidating physique; bulky arms were held behind his back and his wide shoulders were perfectly horizontal with the ground. A yard stick would have had difficulty covering the distance between them; he could have been a line backer on a football team. He wore a sharp royal red uniform that displayed his status, gold trims lined the collar and gold laced pads adorned his shoulders. The overcoat was designed so that there were no buttons, and parted to show a beige undercoat in the front and then hung loose behind his legs like a small cape.

One could immediately recognize that this man was not human, for his face was entirely made of angular pale grey rock. He had a large square chin and small round eyes, and the area above his them where the eyebrows would have been (for he had no hair) jutted out beyond his forehead, giving his eyes a shadowed look. Atop his sturdy, bald head was a three-sided navy blue hat with gold trimmings around its perimeter; resembling the one Captain Jack Sparrow often wore.

Sora felt his stomach drop in fear as the golem came to a halt and loomed over them. He bent down a little, narrowing his eyes and scrutinizing them, hands still behind his back."You lot are finally up, eh?" he said in a strong, steady voice.

Sora gulped. "Uh, hi there," he said in a small voice, attempting to appear friendly and harmless in front of the authority that had mistaken them for stowaways.

His expression remained stony (no pun intended), until he raised onr eyebrow as if contemplating why these lawbreakers were so young and small. He seemed to be highly ranked, though Jim had said that the Captain was a "she", so he was probably second in command.

"Mmm...yes." He stood up straight again. "Well, I won't have you layabouts dawdling on the deck and neither will the Captain. This way, please." he ended the last sentence on a slightly darker tone and began walking off. Sora cast Kairi a nervous glance before following.

On the way there, they passed someone who was much more well kept than the other crew members. He walked like a human being, but he looked like cross between that of a human and a canine. He had a large brown dog nose, on which sat a pair of spectacles, as well as floppy ears and neat dark brown hair that was held in a low ponytail with a ribbon. He wore a formal maroon coat and wasn't working like the other crew members. In fact, he wasn't doing anything right now besides fiddling with some strange instruments and enjoying the view. Judging from the way he was recording the positions of the stars in eager fascination, he was probably an astronomer of some status.

He paid them no heed as they walked around the navigator, a finely muscled snail-like creature, who had no shell, but instead many tentacles which he used to turn the large wooden wheel. The rock man who was guiding them called him Turnbuckle.

"Right in here," he said as he opened a large round door with a metal gear-like device for a lock.

Sora stepped through the threshold, wondering what kind of creature awaited them. So far, everyone except for Jim was some kind of mutant. And though the man in the red uniform meant them no harm, he still scared the living daylights out of Sora.

He crossed his fingers inside his pants pocket for luck. Once again, what he saw was DEFINITELY not what he expected.

* * *

**Sorry it's so late!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

**Jeez, the last three weeks have passed by in a haze, not to mention I have soccer practice and games all the time. But seriously, with the number of reviews I got for the last chapter, can you really blame me? I had two good reviews for previous chapters (thank you Max The Demon Wolf and Linda Barton), but only one good, and short, review for the last one! The other one was mentioned at the top of the page.**

**Thank you TheEspadaSisters for reviewing the last chapter.**

**Well, the last one wasn't exactly filled with action, so it's kinda okay. But I can only keep writing if people actually like it. I'd like to say that I don't care what other people think, but my passion is art, not writing, so I need you advice, people!**

**Don't be shy, just tell me what you think by clicking the review thingy at the bottom of this page. Honestly, I'd hate to let this great idea go to waste, I have so much planned and I'll need all the confidence I can get.**

**If you haven't figured it out yet, this world is based off of the movie Treasure Planet. If you have not seen this film, shame on you. Go watch it. Now.**

**Anyway, I-**

**(A loud crashing noise is heard and the front door now has a very large hole ripped through it. Spinters of broken wood lie everywhere. Much screaming and squealing is heard and countless hands are reaching through the hole)**

**Me: what the-? They have an axe now?**

**Axel: (gets pulled against the door by the hands) Whoa, whoa! Ladies, calm down! There's plently of me to go around!**

**Me: Axel! Don't say anything seductive, it'll just make them crazier!**

**(fangirls continue to scream)**

**Me: ugh, since I was spending so much time writing this chapter, me and Axel decided to go for a walk outside. This idiot wasn't paying attention, so when he got hit with a ball, his hood came off and now I'm barricaded inside my own house with a mob of deranged insane fangirls outside!**

**Axel: Come on, how bad could it be? You never told me that I had so many fans~**

**Me: that's because I was afraid that THIS would happen. Axel, get away from the door! (grabs Axel and pulls him away) ...Hey…wait a minute, what's this?**

**Axel: Hmm?**

**Me: This tag on your jacket.**

**Axel: I don't know, it just came with it.**

**Me: "Warning. Excessive use of Axel may result in: drooling, squealing, spas attacks, and massive fangirling"**

**Axel: huh…well that explains a lot.**

**Me: (facepalm)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~``**

**This chapter is dedicated to Mr. Morris, my awesome fifth grade teacher. He was/is an amazing and fun Gym/Bible teacher as well as a friend. His favorite president is Teddy Roosevelt and I remember all the fun we had making a mockumentary of him. He likes to wrestle with his kids and let us play fun games like dodgeball and steal the plunger. He now has a paralyzing desies and does not have much longer to live. He also cannot perform his job anymore. your prayers are welcome, because his family will no doubt suffer the most. I love and am sad to have to see him go, but I am absolutely positive that he is going to heaven and actually envy him for that.**

**I love you Mr. Morris!**


	8. Supernova

**Welcome to chapter 8 of Wings of Arcadia! Sorry the last chapter took a while to come in, but at least it was my longest one by far. Over 8300 words, baby! Then again, the overly long skits at the beginning and end added on to that... Oh well.**

**I know, I know, it had a crapload of spelling errors, but I went back and fixed most of those, so it's acceptable now!**

**Sorry about my little rant about reviews and stuff, I just figured that some of you might not know what they mean to me. But The Infiniator is right: Kingdom Hearts has THE most fanfiction entries in the whole game section of this entire website (very happy about that, btw), so it basically just makes it that much harder for other people to find this one. Lol, I was just kidding you guys, I can't quit writing something this big!**

**It also seems that The Infiniator is the only one who has seen Treasure Planet, so I'll just have to show you guys what this amazing movie is all about! Sorry, but it may take a few chapters to cover the whole story! Aw well, I'm done rushing anyways.**

**Also, the song is there, not only because it is already in the movie, but shows how time passes and quite frankly I just like it a lot. Listen to it from YouTube when it comes up. It's called "I'm Still Here" from the Goo Goo Dolls; don't let the name deceive you, it's cool. The one I'm using is from the movie, so make sure it's the one from the Treasure Planet soundtrack (Jim's theme), not that there's a major difference anyway.**

**Thank you The Infiniator, Roxas key6, and TheEspadaSisters for your reviews. I also got a reviewer that was completely anonymous and did not give their name. Thank you very much for your encouraging words, it really means a lot!**

**Axel: Whoa, whoa, whoa,what do you think you're doing?**

**Me: What? What's wrong?**

**Axel: Uh, this is chapter 8, my number. Shouldn't I be in control of it?**

**Me: What? No way, go write your own story!**

**Axel: Hmmm... I thought you might say that... which is why I kept this. (pulls out cell phone)**

**Me: (shocked) Axel! Why do you have that picture?**

**Axel: Oh, I just happened to be walking by when I saw you cuddled up to a certain Axel plushie...**

**Me: (grabs for the phone) Hey! No fair! I was asleep, that doesn't mean anything!**

**Axel: (holds phone away) I don't know, you look pretty happy...**

**Me: You evil little redhead! Why are you doing this?**

**Axel: Just consider this revenge for blackmailing me earlier!**

**Me: Grrrr...**

**Axel: Just give me free reign over this episode, and I'll delete it.**

**Me: (suspicious)...Is that it?**

**Axel: Weeeeeeeeelllll... I may want some Sea-Salt Ice Cream, and Roxas...among other things.**

**Me: Other things?**

**Axel: Details, details...**

**Me: Figures. You're just a sly, selfish Nobody who manipulates people to get what he wants.**

**Axel: Would you honestly have me any other way?**

**Me: Well, you got me there. You are pretty good at it; I only just realized how much that would drive me up a wall...**

**Axel: I'll take that as a yes. And now, welcome to MY episode, no doubt the best episode yet, or ever. Enjoy it, or I'll light you on fire!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

* * *

The Captain was not at all what Sora had expected. As he, Kairi, Skyra, Donald and Goofy set foot into the stateroom, they saw light filtering in from a large window comprised of smaller square panels of glass.

The light was sufficient enough to illuminate the room completely, allowing them to see the large wardrobe standing to their immediate right. The room was in the shape of a semicircle located at the rear of the ship; globes and other decorative trinkets lined the walls. In the center sat a sturdy desk, where a large, complicated map and navigation instruments lay. A comfortable dark blue chair with a tall back sat on the opposite side of the desk from them.

Sitting in the chair and facing them was a figure who was no doubt the Captain. Sora almost laughed out of relief. The Captain looked like a cross between a human and a feline.

She was a slender woman who was almost as tall as Mr. Arrow. Unlike him, however, her uniform was a navy blue with gold trimming and buttons, also sporting decorative shoulder pads. The inside of her cloak was beige, which could be seen where the collar was turned up. The outfit also came down in the back like Arrow's, turning into a sort of long cape.

She had a soft complexion and blue eye shadow above her yellow and green cat eyes. Her short rust brown hair was kept back practically away from her face; her navy blue captain's hat lay on the desk in front of her. She also had a small cat nose and large pointed ears. Sora wondered if she was as lithe and graceful as she looked.

She stopped what she was doing to look up at them with interest.

"Thank you, Mr. Arrow," she said in a clear voice, nodding at him with a small smile. Her smooth words revealed an English accent.

The rock man, presumably Mr. Arrow, closed the door behind them. He tipped his hat at the Captain to acknowledge her thanks. She seemed to enjoy his company and Sora figured they must be good friends.

"So," said the Captain in a businesslike manner, "these are the renegade rascals who were hiding in the crew's quarters?"

"Yes, Captain," said Mr. Arrow as he moved to stand beside her.

"Hi there!" said Sora jovially, waving one hand at her. Skyra immediately slapped the back of his head with a look of disapproval. Sora cringed and rubbed the area where her hand had harshly come in contact with his head. The Captain narrowed her piercing eyes at them.

_Right_, thought Sora. Friendliness alone wouldn't get him out of this one...

"My name is Captain Amelia." said the Captain. "You will refer to me as 'Captain', or 'ma'am'. This is my first mate, Mr. Arrow. Perhaps you are too dense to realize the gravity of your situation," continued Captain Amelia in a stern tone of voice. "So be informed now that you are all in ludicrous amounts of trouble. You lot have not only put my career at stake, but my reputation as well. With the boundaries you crossed, you'd be lucky to get out of this without being severely punished by the authorities."

Amelia stood up, walking in front of her desk towards the wall to their left. She was obviously a professional, Sora could tell from her bearing to the way she spoke that she possessed the ability to stay level-headed and run a tight ship.

"Not just concealing yourselves on any ship," continued Amelia, "but on this particular voyage, demonstrates the decision making skills of a third grader. There is a good possibility that this could get dangerous, and quite honestly I don't feel obliged to babysit a bunch of kids."

As the Captain spoke, Skyra kept her peace; not back-talking or protesting at all. Sora decided that she was probably right: fighting against the authority of another world wasn't going to get them anywhere.

Sora dropped his head and held his hands behind his back, trying to give off the impression that he felt ashamed. Though their crime was unintentional, the twisting feeling in his stomach bothered him all the same. He hated feeling like a criminal.

"Oh... I'm sorry, Captain." apologized Kairi, sounding quite sincere. "I guess we just didn't realize how serious it was to sneak on board." Sora turned to her and she winked at him, telling him to play along.

"Uh-yeah! We're really sorry, and we promise not to cause you anymore trouble." He silently prayed that the Captain would let them off easy. The others caught on, nodding their heads and staying silent.

She continued to search them with her sharp slanting eyes, perhaps wondering if they were just some adventurous group of children who frequently stirred up chaos. Though, the one with the strange black and pink hair seemed a little old for this sort of thing… She shook her head in disbelief. What was this world coming to?

"Be that as it may, I will still require you to give me your names. The law does not allow children such as yourselves to run about willy-nilly, and I cannot afford to either. Your parents will no doubt be informed of your actions, though I'm sure it's nothing new to them."

And so they each came forward, signing their name and age respectively. Sora filled out Riku's for him, since he was still going to be recovering for a while.

Captain Amelia then assigned them jobs to keep them busy, in hopes than they wouldn't get any more ideas. The first day was spent learning the ropes and getting used to the ship. Relatively easy work, nothing too strenuous. The structure of the vessel made it long and narrow, and the lower levels came down pretty deep.

During this time, they met the doglike man they had seen earlier and got to know him better. His name was Dr. Delbert Doppler, the noted astrophysicist that no one knew, and was the financier of this exploration. Strangely enough, they weren't allowed to know exactly _where_ they were going; only that Jim had been the one to find a map to the secret location.

While making sure the brawny Mr. Arrow wasn't around, he clearly expressed his dislike for Amelia for insulting his outfit the moment they met. He then rambled on about the clunky metal suit that he had been talked into buying from a two-headed sales merchant, and about how it took him an hour to take off properly.

Besides that, Sora was getting some bad vibes from the crew. None of them seemed to like them very much, and their ugly faces leered at the newcomers as they walked by. Scroop was especially intimidating.

He was a tall creature that resembled a scorpion. More accurately, a scorpion on steroids. Scroop had a hard, red and black exoskeleton, eight legs, bright, bug like yellow-orange eyes, and large crablike front claws. All that, combined with his mean personality and his low, dangerous sounding hissing voice, made him extremely uncomfortable to be around. Jim affectionally referred to him as "Spider Psycho".

Despite this, Sora and Kairi both agreed that they had been pretty lucky: there was no way the Captain would ever be able to reach their parents- they were in a galaxy outside this one!

* * *

Late that night, after the crew had already retired to their hammocks, they explained to Riku what had happened. He seemed highly skeptical that they were sailing through space (he was confined to bed rest for another day or so), but decided after Sora's persistence that he would have to see for himself. They stayed up for a while, talking amongst themselves and just hanging out.

One of their topics included the new gauntlets they had received. Sora liked the way his gold and black one glinted in the light, which Donald noticed with jealousy. They were each imagining what theirs might do, when Jim came plodding down the creaky wooden stairs.

He appeared haggard and worn. Running a hand through his hair tiredly, Jim made his way over to his hammock in a state similar to sleepwalking. With a wide yawn, he sat down and massaged his forehead and eyes.

"Wow, Jim, you look beat," pointed out Sora. "Why were you up so late?"

"Working, thanks to Mr. Silver." He tried unsuccessfully to stifle another yawn.

"Mr. Silver? The cook?" asked Kairi in interest.

"Yeah, crazy old cyborg. Ever since the first day..." He put on a sly face, doing an impression of Mr. Silver in a sailor's accent.

"'Well, since the Cap'n has put yeh in my charge, like it or not, I'll be pound'n a few skills inter that thick head of yours to keep yeh out of trouble! From now on, I'm not lettin' yeh outta me sights! You won't so much as eat, sleep, or scratch yer bum without me say-so!' "

Sora chuckled at his impression. "That sounds harsh."

"Yeah well, it'll be you tomorrow. The Captain's not going to let you guys slack off, trust me." He removed his boots with a relieved expression and proceeded to give his sore feet a rub-down. "What brings you guys here anyways?" he asked in bored interest.

Riku's face lit up, remembering something. He sat up carefully, minding his sensitive head, to look at Jim.

"We're looking for someone. Maybe you've seen him?"

"Oh yeah!" exclaimed Sora, recalling their mission. "Have you ever heard of a guy named Cyrus? It's pretty important."

Jim thought, then shook his head. "Nope, name's not familiar, sorry."

"Oh..." said Sora, looking slightly crestfallen.

In one of the bunks above them, Skyra had been silently observing their conversation. She slid the knife she had been flipping into a hidden sheath and turned to look down at Jim.

"Do you know where this ship is headed?" she asked simply.

He eyed the snoring crew members warily. Even after he was sure they were sound asleep, he seemed reluctant to tell them. Finally, he turned back to them, voice lowered to a conspiratorial tone. "Alright, does 'Treasure Planet' mean anything to you?"

They looked at each other and shook their heads, confused.

"Are you kidding me?" he asked, unbelieving. "Wow, you must really live under a rock. You've never heard the legend?" At their negative response, Jim got to his feet with some effort and moved to a small bag resting against a wall nearby. He rummaged through its contents briefly, and came back with an old looking story book.

He brought it over and handed it to Sora. "Here, since you're hopelessly uninformed, that should fill you in. The holographic projectors should still work… Try not to mess it up."

Jim extinguished the last few candles and fell into his hammock, completely exhausted. Sora and the others gathered around Riku's hammock so they could all see. Riku opened the book to the first page, and was surprised when the book began to emit its own light. As they gazed into the book, now the only source of light in the dark room, no paper or words could be seen. Instead they were looking through a window into a calm starry night. Motionless, puffy nebula clouds shone softly in the dark blue sky.

A deep, steady voice that automatically captured their attention flowed from within the book as a three-dimensional cargo ship was projected in front of them. The massive vessel had at least four main masts, each of which was donned with six or seven square sails, and the rear took on a triangular shape. It sailed away from them, into the starry ocean within the book.

"On the clearest of nights, when the winds of the Etherium were calm and peaceful, the great merchant ships, with their cargos of Octulian solar crystals felt safe, and secure. Little did they suspect that they were pursued by..." the voice paused for dramatic effect, causing Ardeo to lean in further, drinking in the suspense. "Pirates."

Suddenly, a much smaller ship came into view, stealthily trailing the merchant ship. It had blood red sails fanning out in a half circle pattern. Some of them were triangular and inverted so they stuck out below the ship's hull. It was undoubtedly finely tuned for control and maneuverability. Like a sinister butterfly, the black and red craft cruised undetected along the larger ship's side.

"And the most feared of all these pirates, was the notorious Captain Nathaniel Flint."

The scene zoomed in, revealing a man cloaked in shadows surveying the cargo ship. He wore a hat similar to Captain Amelia's. Suddenly he turned, revealing six fierce eyes sunken into an angular skull. Long, sharp teeth glistened as he opened his mouth wide, shouting "FIRE!"

Instantly, the cargo ship's side exploded in flame as the agile pirate spacecraft left smoky craters in various places of its body. Riku turned the page, and they were now looking into a dim ballroom. Distant booms could be heard and the humanoid alien dancers huddled together in fear.

Again, the scene changed, this time surveying a chaotic battle being waged. Flint's ship had aligned its deck with that of its victim, and laser fire darted from both sides as those it struck plummeted off the edge and into oblivion. Ugly looking creatures swung on ropes to board the cargo ship, overpowering what resistance was left. Soon, they were looking at the ships from a distance again, as Flint's vessel sailed their way.

"Like a Gundarian Zarkwing overtaking its prey, Flint and his band of renegades gathered up their spoils..." the ship suddenly disappeared before their eyes on a flash of pale green, just before it sailed straight into them.

"...and vanished, without a trace."

The group all looked at each other, simultaneously saying, "Oooooooh". Ardeo hopped up and down excitedly, only calmed by Riku's hand.

Riku turned the page once more, and a thick, mysterious green fog met their eyes. The voice continued.

"Flint's trove was never found. But stories have persisted that it remains hidden, somewhere in the farthest reaches of the galaxy."

Through the clouds of fog, the faint outline of jagged chunks of floating earth could be seen. As the scene slowly moved forward, something large came into view, looming hazily up ahead, like a sphere.

"Stowed with riches beyond imagination, the Loot of a Thousand Worlds..."

The voice paused again and the final cloud lifted, giving an unimpaired view of the object.

"...Treasure Planet."

It was somewhat small compared to other celestial objects, but it looked magnificent all the same; two rings formed an X in front of the light green mass. One ring glowed with neon green; while the other was compromised of small rocks and debris caught in the planet's magnetic pull.

Sora felt chills run up and down his spine as he gazed, entranced at the planet. It exuded an aura of mystery and invoked his spirit for adventure. Treasure Planet, the Loot of a Thousand Worlds...

Riku turned the page one last time before plunging them into darkness, and the book finished the story with a short, mystifying conclusion.

"There are nights when the winds of the Etherium, so inviting in their promise of flight and freedom, made one's spirits soar."

* * *

Later that night, as Sora relaxed in his hammock in the cool, breezy room, head filled with dreams of Treasure Planet, he remembered something important: Roxas hadn't contacted him for a while now. He closed his eyes, reaching deep inside himself. A moment later he frowned: Roxas had rejected him. Now he was concerned.

_Roxas_, he pleaded_. Come on, let me in. We need to talk._

The blonde's exasperated reply echoed through his mind-_I don't want to talk, Sora._

He sighed. Roxas wasn't taking it very well. Not that Sora could blame him, he felt bad for his Nobody. He tried again, more persistently this time.

_Please, Roxas. It's not healthy for you to keep shutting me out. Let me help._

Roxas said nothing.

Sora continued to verbally poke Roxas until he finally gave in. Wordlessly, reluctantly, the Nobody allowed Sora into his Station of Awakening.

With a white flash, Sora appeared, walking forward as the glow faded around him. Up ahead he spotted Roxas, still sitting with his head in his knees. Sora strode forward carefully, his shoes making the familiar CLACK CLACK CLACK that echoed throughout the space. As he neared, Roxas averted his gaze.

Sora crouched in front of the boy, trying to make eye contact. Roxas stubbornly refused, however, so he sat down and fixed him with a sympathetic smile. He was silent for a brief time, hoping that Roxas would be the one to start the conversation. No dice, he really didn't want to talk.

"The incident on the tram really got to you, huh?" Sora asked solemnly. Roxas's brilliant eyes flicked towards him and then back down. Finally, he sighed and gave a halfhearted shrug, but his face, beneath his erratically spiky hair, betrayed his anguish.

"Hey, look at me."

Roxas tried to ignore him, but eventually found himself, as if pulled by gravity, to obey.

Sora had put on a disarming grin; his bright eyes reflected the heavenly light flowing from the stained glass platform below. He seemed to radiate an atmosphere of blissful optimism and lightheartedness, which clashed with Roxas's melancholy storm cloud. He looked away.

"My gosh Roxas, come on," begged Sora. "If there's something you want to get off your chest, then say it. You can't just be sitting here all by yourself all the time."

Roxas tried to sort through the cyclone of restless emotions within. As a Nobody, even a special one, he lacked a thorough understanding of what they all meant. They built up inside him, swirling and clashing until he couldn't tell what was what. Anger, frustration, resentment, hopelessness...they left him with little more than rage and depression. He wanted a life beyond this existence, something he knew he could never have; freedom.

And this boy in front of him, Sora; he had that. Roxas suddenly found himself irrationally angry with Sora. Angry at the world and it's cruel unfairness. Why must he be so deprived of happiness? It was just so infuriating!

"You're real lucky, you know that?" he snarled, voice suddenly raised as he jumped to his feet.

"You...you've got everything, don't you? You've got friends, you've got a home, you've even got a future! Everything I don't!" He clutched his head, feeling like it was going to explode from the pressure.

"Do you think...that sounds fair?" he asked through gritted teeth.

Sora had been silent as Roxas accused him, deciding that it would be better for him to let off some steam. He watched his Nobody with a sober expression. He hadn't expected it to be this bad.

A moment passed in deafening silence before Roxas dropped his arms, turning around sharply with an angry growl. He took a few blind steps before coming to a halt, brushing some golden hair out of his eyes as he attempted to stem his heavy breathing.

He swallowed. "I-I just...I mean... What's the point?"

Sora scrunched up his eyebrows and cocked his head to the side.

"The point?"

"The pendant, I mean."

Sora stood up and reached inside his pocket, bringing out the heart shaped object. The metal felt cool on his skin and the silver chain jingled softly as it swayed. The folded wings gleamed with dazzling pinpricks of refracted light; the heart gazed up at him innocently.

"This thing? Do you want me to let you out, Roxas?"

"No, you don't get it!" cried Roxas. "Even with that thing, I'm still a part of you," he explained. "No matter how often you let me out, it won't last. I'll always end up back in here! It's just a stupid half-life!" He clutched his chest as if in pain, dropping his voice. "I'm a Nobody, Sora...you can't understand me."

Something hot and wet fell onto his cheek. He took a finger and wiped it off, realizing it was a tear. At first he looked surprised, then somewhat angry, but he only sighed and closed his eyes tiredly.

Sora's heart ached at Roxas's behavior. He had no idea Roxas had felt so alone. Resolving to cheer him up, he walked forward and put a hand on his shoulder.

"That's right, we are part of each other," said Sora softly. "You and me, we're like two halves of a whole... Hey, remember when I was in a coma for a year?" Sora laughed a little. Roxas recalled how Sora had been mysteriously hibernating in a flower shaped pod.

"I couldn't wake up without you." Sora tried to get in front of Roxas, but he turned his head away stubbornly, making Sora chuckle again.

"Come on Roxas, if it makes you feel better, we can try to find a way to keep you out permanently." Sora was satisfied when this caused Roxas to finally look at him.

"Really?" he asked skeptically.

"Really, REALLY," replied Sora enthusiastically, not wanting to lose his progress with Roxas. He honestly didn't know if there were any consequences of separating Roxas from him, but it was worth a shot.

"But hey, you gotta work with me on this, okay? No more being sad."

Sora held out his hand face down. "Together?"

Roxas took a moment to weigh his options, not that he really _had _any. Finally, he rolled his eyes, a small smile creeping onto his face, and placed his hand over top Sora's.

"Together."

"Yessss!" hissed Sora in victory. "Hug time!"

Roxas was shocked as Sora threw his arms around him suddenly. Finally, he laughed at Sora's antics. Sometimes, he could be so CHEESY.

"You are so weird."

Sora ignored him.

_Maybe there's still a way_, he thought to himself. He gazed up, wondering how the future would play out...

Finally, after what seemed like a long time, Sora detached himself from the Nobody. He noted how Roxas was obviously feeling better, and grinned wider than ever. "There we go," he remarked. "I like my Nobody better when he's happy."

Roxas scoffed at him, how was this kid his other half?

"But you can't come out for while, okay? The Captain would get suspicious if she noticed you, so you're gonna have to wait a bit."

Roxas agreed on the premises that he would cheer up and work with Sora if he in turn promised to find some way to make effects of the pendant more permanent.

* * *

Jim had been right.

The very next day, they were faced with loads monotonous and backbreaking work. It began with them meeting the famous Mr. Silver, who had been keeping Jim busy ever since the ship left port. Just like in Jim's impression, he had a sailor's accent, and usually referred to Jim as "Jimbo".

Large and jolly, Mr. Silver stood a few solid heads taller than Sora. He had a large lower lip, a round gut and a triple chin of loose skin folds. He was mostly human, with the exception of a block like nose and small floppy dog ears, which were pierced; a common fashion in this world. Each hand was about the size of a baseball glove.

His outfit consisted of a large white shirt and red and green striped shorts, which were held up with an extra large belt. He wore a white apron while he was working in the kitchen. It was hard to tell if he had any hair, because a red bandana had been tied around the top of his head. About half his body, however, was mechanical.

Whirring gears and gyros were attached to the right side of his head, and his right eye had been replaced with a glowing yellow synthetic one, which had the ability to zoom in and out, see in heat vision, and even become a laser pointer.

A round armored plate on his metallic forearm concealed an extensive variety of tools. His thigh was mainly a device which resembled an accordion, to control air pressure, and the false appendage ended in a sort of peg leg. He greeted them with a jovial smile and good humor.

They were also introduced to Morph, Silver's pet. It looked to be nothing more than a small blob of floating pink plasma with goggly eyes, tiny jellylike arms and a small mouth. Morph made the same high pitched chirping noise as Ardeo, and the two got along instantly. They soon learned why he was called Morph, for he had shifted into a tiny version of Sora, and later into an exact replica of Ardeo, with the same sense of mischief.

The days blended together as the gang were put to hours of unappealing labor, which always ended with them going to bed late and ready to drop from sheer exhaustion. Skyra did not complain, however, and Kairi did her best too, though unused to such strenuous conditions. Riku also refrained from grumbling about it, mostly out of pride, and used all his patience and willpower to do so. Sora and Donald, not so much.

Jim was at first very distant with everyone, even after entrusting them with the secret of Treasure Planet, which they swore not to talk about in front of the crew. Silver's harsh agenda was obviously irritating him, but each task only seemed to motivate him further, as if he was proving that he could take whatever Mr. Silver dished out.

Sora, Kairi, Donald and Goofy usually did whatever Mr. Silver needed help with: peeling strange fruits or potatoes, swabbing the deck, and cleaning the hull of stubborn space barnacles (in which case Sora summoned his Keyblade while Silver wasn't looking to whack them off more efficiently).

On one particularly late night, they had been washing loads of filthy dishes with Jim. Just as Sora stood up, glad that they were finally finished, Silver strode in with a triumphant smile and dumped another mountain of grimy pots and pans at their feet.

No one's eyes were as wide as Jim's as they stared after Mr. Silver's departing form. With a determined look, Jim began scrubbing with a new vigor, refusing to be defeated. He was slowly followed by Kairi, and then a reluctant Sora.

Hours later, Silver entered to find rows upon rows of neatly stacked pots, pans, bowls and saucers; all sparkling clean. He rubbed the back of his head as he noticed the sleeping forms, a bit ashamed at working them so hard.

Sora and Kairi were propped up against the wall, leaning on each other's shoulders in a deep slumber. Jim was still sitting on his bucket, slumped over a massive bowl that he had been cleaning on his lap. Silently, the cyborg threw a blanket over Sora and Kairi, and then did the same for the snoring Donald and Goofy. He then removed his dark brown overcoat and placed it around Jim's shoulders. Mr. Silver adjusted his hat and lumbered away onto the deck, not noticing Jim open one bleary eye to watch him leave.

* * *

**(and, cue the song~)**

I am a question to the world  
Not an answer to be heard  
Or a moment, that's held in your arms

And what do you think you'd ever say?  
I won't listen anyway  
You don't know me, and I'll never be what you want me to be

And what do you think you'd understand?  
I'm a boy, no, I'm a man  
You can't take me, and throw me away

And how can you learn what's never shown?  
Yeah, you stand here on your own  
They don't know me, 'cause I'm not here

And I want a moment to be real  
Wanna touch things I don't feel  
Wanna hold on, feel I belong  
How can the world want me to change?  
They're the ones that stay the same  
They don't know me, but I'm still here

And you see things they never see  
All you wanted, I could be  
And you know me, I'm not afraid  
And I wanna tell you who I am  
Can you help me be a man?  
They can't break me, as long as I know who I am!

They can't tell me who to be  
Cause I'm not what they see  
Yeah, the world is just sleeping while I keep on dreaming for me  
And their words are just whispers and lies that I'll never belieeeeve

And I want a moment to be real  
Wanna touch things I don't feel  
Wanna hold on and feel I belong!  
And how can they say I'll never change?  
They're the ones that stay the same  
I'm the one now, I'm still here!

I'm the one, 'cause I'm still here  
I'm still heeeeeeeere!  
I'm still here...

* * *

Riku sighed, taking in the view from atop one of the masts. Since he and Skyra were older and more physically adept, they often did normal crew work or repaired fabric from sails that were old and torn. Riku closed his eyes as the breeze swept through his long silver hair, smiling as he spotted a shimmering blue comet up ahead.

Though he hadn't mentioned it, he had been secretly excited about leaving Destiny Islands and beginning a new adventure; his home had always seemed too small for him. Of course, he had looked forward to doing nothing all day on the stunning beaches after their last adventure; racing and sword fighting with Sora just like old times. But the feeling only lasted a week or so before he found himself once again hungering to explore new places. A flutter of guilt arose in his stomach at these yearnings, reminding him how that very same thing had caused Sora and Kairi much grieving in the first place.

He frowned at the dark memories. His obsession of other worlds had caused the darkness to corrupt him, destroying his home and leading him to put his lust for power above even his best friends. He had almost _killed _Sora! Sure, he was being influenced by Ansem's dark powers, but was it not his choice to allow him into his heart?

He shook his head suddenly.

_No_, he told himself. He would never stray down that path again. He simply had an adventurous spirit, nothing more. And right now, things were looking up, despite the threat of Xemnas, looming over them like an evil storm cloud.

"Daydreaming today, Riku?

Skyra's voice snapped him out of his wandering thoughts. He glanced in her direction, surprised to suddenly see her climbing down the network above him.

"Oh...yeah-yeah, I'm fine," stammered Riku. Skyra gave him a skeptical look as she descended to his level.

"You'd better be," she remarked dryly. "There's a tear in the highest sail that needs to be mended. Still, you'd better use this so you don't slip. Odds are, it'll be the last thing you'll do."

She tossed him the end of a long rope and then leapt off the lower mast, performing a series of rapid flips on the way down. After landing flawlessly on the deck, she fastened the other end of the rope around her waist.

This was a failsafe in case Riku fell from atop the mast. If he threw the rope over the wooden beam like a pulley, Skyra could pull him back up or lower him down safely. He rolled his eyes at her impressive acrobatic display.

_Show-off..._

"Your confidence in my abilities is flattering as usual," he called down to her. She smirked slightly, readying the rope and getting into position.

With a sigh, Riku secured himself with the rope and began to climb. With some effort, he reached the topmost sail. He looked down and instinctively tightened his grip. He had never been afraid of heights, but knowing that one wrong move would send him to his doom made him extra cautious.

He looped some of the rope around the horizontal beam of timber above, quickly getting to work stitching up the torn fabric. It was a relatively small rip; the ship was in overall good condition, so this needn't be done too often. Soon enough, the white canvas was whole again and the solar-receiving cells imbued within flashed good as new.

He wiped a bit of sweat off his forehead, turning his attention once again to the luminous comet hurtling slowly in the same direction. Wait a minute...

He focused on a speck that was making its way over to the comet. It was a longboat from the lower levels of the Legacy, a smaller craft with only one main sail and a small set of engines. It seemed that Mr. Silver had decided to let Jim drive, and they had taken Sora and the others along as well. He shook his head in disbelief as Jim piloted the craft directly into the comet's tail, riding the dusty turbulence towards the core. It looked like a heck of a blast.

_That crazy adrenalin junkie..._

Jim had lightened up considerably over the past week or so. At some point, Jim had begun to do his work without so much as a dirty look. He and Silver had become especially close, almost like father and son. The guy was a mechanical genius, and Riku hadn't been able to understand what his attitude problem had been, that is, until Skyra had told him that Jim's father left him a long time ago.

_"Wait, how did you know that?"_

_"Ardeo picked up the memory when he was doing a quick search of Jim's personality."_

_"Isn't that kind of an invasion of privacy?"_

_"No, he only did it to get a feel for who he was. He did the same thing with you when you two met on the Gummiship, you just didn't realize it. That memory happened to be strong enough to appear first; it must have affected Jim more than he likes to let on... Did you know he was also apprehended by the police the day he found the map to you-know-where?"_

_"What'd he do?"_

_"Flew a Solar Sailor in a restricted area. Nearly killed himself, but at least he had fun."_

As Riku thought about Jim's positive change in behavior, he didn't notice how his foot was resting just a little too close to the edge of the mast, or how his relaxed position wasn't balanced enough to withstand any sudden movements... So when Turnbuckle changed the ship's course just a bit to the right, Riku suddenly found himself jerked away from his handhold and hovering in midair high above the deck.

Time seemed to slow as he weightlessly drifted backwards, eyes wide open as his arms flailed wildly, desperately trying to grasp something. Then, the moment ended and he plummeted out of control, down towards the spinning deck below. He shut his aqua eyes in terror and prayed that the rope tied around his waist would save him.

Skyra tightened her grip on the rope as she spotted Riku's body helplessly plunging through the air, preparing to sustain his weight when the rope ran out. She felt something snaking around her ankle and glanced down.

"What the...?"

...Her foot was directly inside a loop she had coiled the rope in to conserve space, and it was swiftly coming undone.

The curse had barely begun leaving her mouth as the rope snagged around her leg and she was violently upturned, simultaneously smacking her head on the deck, and then dragged through the air at a dizzying velocity.

As Riku tumbled down, the rope tangled itself around his foot before becoming taut, and he felt himself now swinging upside down. Everything else was an orderless blur and he lost his bearings; not even knowing which way was up. He felt himself collide bodily with another object before finally crashing into the mast and coming to a jolting halt.

Riku hugged the mast for dear life, not caring how many seconds he swayed there gently in silence. When he finally pulled himself together enough to reopen his eyes, he found himself face to face with none other than Skyra.

He froze completely, only vaguely aware of the crew's roaring laughter below; the blood was hammering too loudly in his ears for him to care. They were barely a hair's breadth apart since Riku was still holding onto the mast, simultaneously sandwiching her in between.

He blushed madly, both from embarrassment and from the blood rushing to his head. In contrast, her face was completely expressionless, unreadable, as her eyes bored directly into his.

With a slow, drawn-out motion, she reached towards her leg to retrieve something, never taking her eyes off his. A flash of deadly steel echoed through Riku's paralyzed mind and he knew exactly what it was.

A knife.

_Oh crap_, was all he could think.

He had finally crossed the line. He'd screwed up too far this time. She was finally going to kill him; the cold look in her eye told him so. All his muscles had seized up; he was utterly defenseless.

His breath caught in his chest. He knew it would be his last.

Skyra flicked her wrist and Riku impulsively sealed his eyes shut, preparing to feel the blade slice through his exposed flesh.

Instead, he only felt a sudden vertigo. His surprised cry was cut short when something hard slammed into his stomach. He opened his eyes again. Now he was suspended about thirty feet above the deck, clinging to a beam of wood. The sail billowed, windless in front of him.

With grace and flexibility that outclassed any squirrel, Skyra landed squarely on the timber beside his elbow. Riku stared up at her numbly as she untangled the rope from around her midriff and began to walk away.

He blinked wildly and tried to say something, but his tongue felt thick and clumsy in his mouth.

"B-But... I-I thought you were..."

"Going to run you through with this knife?" finished Skyra, flashing the lethal weapon. She chuckled lightly.

"Don't think it never crossed my mind."

With that, she climbed swiftly down onto the deck and promised any laughing crew member that got in her way a painful end. Seeing her seriousness, they backed away, allowing her to pass.

Ardeo suddenly landed on Riku's head and began to chirp madly. Another Ardeo flew up to the wooden beam, laughing and rolling around uncontrollably. One of them must have been Morph in disguise. The Ardeo on his head tackled the other one playfully and they flew out of sight, leaving Riku to sort out what had just happened.

He didn't get it: Skyra had both saved his life and spared it. His brain couldn't accept it. As far as it knew, he was still dead.

Shakily, he climbed up and took a few calming breaths, almost laughing out of relief. When he had fully composed himself, he made his way down to the deck again, not suspecting that the next time he turned around, he would be hit with a face full of searing hot air.

The fiery shockwave unmercifully rocked the entire ship, sending Riku to the deck hard. He tumbled onto his back and slid the rest of the way to the railing on the other end. The crew's surprised cries mixed with a great rumbling noise as Riku slammed into the barrier. He looked up.

Just in time, he rolled out of the path of a runaway barrel before it crushed him against the hard wood. He came out of the roll in a crouching position, all senses on high alert. The sky had turned an angry shade of blazing crimson and the ship had finally righted itself. He bolted to the opposite railing to see what had caused the disturbance.

His eyes widened at what he saw.

Dr. Doppler rushed up to the banister beside him and whipped out his old-fashioned extendable handheld telescope.

"Good heavens!" he exclaimed. "The star Permusa, it's gone supernova!"

Indeed, the nearby star had begun to rip itself apart, sending dying waves of visible fire out from its blazing core. That initial shockwave was only the first of many. The spectacular scene of pure power and destruction was both beautiful and terrifying.

"Evasive action, Mr. Turnbuckle!" yelled Captain Amelia as she rushed up the stairs to the rear deck.

"Aye, aye, Captain!" Turnbuckle began maneuvering the Legacy to avoid oncoming chunks of molten rock.

By this time, Jim and Silver had already made it up to the deck, followed by Sora and the others. They quickly got with the program when they saw what was going on.

"All hands, secure your lifelines!" instructed Mr. Arrow's distinctive booming voice.

The deck was a flurry of movement as the crew rushed to comply. Sora copied Jim and Silver, tying a rope around his waist and securing it to the wooden pins attached to the mast. He silently thanked Mr. Sliver for his knot tying lessons as he looped the rope expertly.

_There, that ought to hold against anything_, he thought. He made sure Kairi's knot was tight enough before checking on Donald and Goofy's. He looked up. The sky was a full salvo of superheated boulders of varying sizes, reminding him painfully of the meteoroid storm back on the Gummiship...

Flaming white-hot nuggets the size of dodge balls pelted the Legacy and whizzed through the air, ripping small holes in the sails. The distant sound of glass breaking could be heard the direction of the Captain's stateroom.

"Mr. Arrow! Secure those sails!" ordered Amelia.

"Secure all sails!" echoed Mr. Arrow, cupping his hands to magnify his voice. He then climbed up one of the masts to assist the crew. Jim and Silver headed to the front of the ship, and Sora decided to just follow them so that he could be helpful without being trampled.

As he climbed onto the bow, he immediately regretted that decision. He was balancing on the beam of wood that extended from the very front of the ship. He was like a tightrope walker, and one wrong move would send him directly overboard; the only hope of returning would be the rope tied around his waist.

Sora looked up to see Jim beckoning him forward. With a deep breath, he made his way over, step by step through the storm of fireballs. One came within a few feet of Sora and he flinched, almost losing his balance completely and giving Jim a hemorrhage. His equilibrium returned to him and he continued to advance cautiously.

Finally, he made it, taking one last leap forwards. Jim directed his landing so that he could use the cable where the sail connected to the bow for support.

"Thanks!" Sora called over the noise of the storm. He couldn't even hear his own voice.

"No problem," replied Jim. They and Mr. Silver then began to pull down the triangular sails at a furious pace and made sure they were secured tightly.

As Mr. Silver was tying down the folded sail fabric, a speeding fireball zoomed right into the bow beneath his hands. It exploded violently, severing his lifeline and causing him to jolt off-balance in surprise. Fear reflected in his eyes as he began to fall away.

"Silver!" screamed Jim, diving for the disappearing length of rope that was still attached to the man. He caught it just in time and pulled back, barely able to sustain Mr. Silver's weight. Sora grabbed the rope as well and helped him in his desperate attempt to save Mr. Silver.

Suddenly, a claw-like metallic arm with long fingers gripped the bow, followed by Silver's bulky form. He climbed back up using Jim's help as well as his powerful bionic arm. A relieved smile lit up his face.

"Thank yeh, lads," he said breathlessly, glad to still be breathing.

Sora's bright grin was wiped clean off his face when he noticed a massive chunk of superheated rock tumbling their way. Bright red veins of boiling magma lined the monstrous object's body. Though it was nowhere near as large as the meteoroid he saw on the Gummiship, the R.L.S. Legacy was much smaller and would certainly be crushed into splinters by this behemoth.

It hurtled their way, ready to incinerate anything in its path. Small explosions began to appear on its craggy form and Sora realized that someone was utilizing the Legacy's laser ball cannon.

* * *

Back on the deck, a chubby looking creature with demon-like horns was happily blasting any large rock that came too close into smithereens. He sat in the cannon's control seat with an air of smug triumph, laughing in celebration of another successful hit.

Then he saw the giant mass of flaming rock.

For a moment, he tried to break the thing apart with more electrically charged amethyst spheres, but the purple blasts did nothing to slow the mighty object. It was coming dangerously close now, and the demon beast abandoned the laser canon and ran for his life.

"Coward!" shouted Skyra at his panicked retreat. With nerves of steel, she took his place and began relentlessly pounding its surface with explosions.

* * *

_It's not enough!_

Sora heard Roxas's hopeless prediction telepathically. He was right, of course. They were all sitting ducks. Jim and Silver stared up numbly as a great shadow fell over them. In seconds the destructive half-melted rock was merely a few yards away... then feet...inches...

And then it stopped.

...and began drifting backwards.

Sora stared in utter disbelief as the mountainous boulder of molten rock became slowly more distant. Gradually, he regained his senses and followed Jim and Silver to the safety of the deck again. He collapsed onto the floor, still feeling the effects of the adrenalin. He let out a shaky laugh.

"You okay?" asked Jim, extending a hand to him. Sora nodded and let Jim help him to his feet.

They ran across the ship to the rear elevated deck where the Captain and Turnbuckle were. Doctor Doppler and Kairi were also there. Sora had expected there to be a party, but instead Doppler rushed to the railing and extended his eyeglass to figure out what had caused the rock to pull away from them. His eyes slowly widened in fear.

"It's devolving into a..." he gasped in shock. "A black hole!"

Unfortunately…he was correct. The exploding star had reversed itself and imploded until its gravitational density had ripped a hole in space. Massive orange clouds of gas and dust slowly swirled around the gaping jet black funnel-like mouth. It's sheer size made the Legacy look like nothing more than a speck of dust being pulled ever closer to the center.

Turnbuckle fought with the wheel, straining to direct the ship away from the black hole.

"We're being pulled in!" he grunted tightly before losing the battle of inverted tug-of-war and being thrown to the floor.

"Oh, no you don't!" Captain Amelia cried, taking his place and holding the wheel still.

Another fiery shockwave rippled out from the vortex, making the ship shudder and vibrate as it washed over them. The Captain held the wheel firmly as the wave left.

"Curse these waves, they're seclusively erratic!" she cried.

"No, Captain, they're not erratic at all!" responded Doppler, referring to some pieces of flashing calculating equipment. "There'll be another on in exactly forty-seven-point-two seconds, followed by the biggest mageller of them all!"

Amelia's face lit up in realization.

"Brilliant, Doctor! And we'll ride that last mageller out of here!"

"All sails secured, Captain!" reported Mr. Arrow from below.

"Good man!" called Amelia with a large grin that was quite out of place in this situation. "Now, release them immediately!"

Mr. Arrow stared, dumbfounded, at the Captain; his hand still held in a salute.

"...Aye, aye...Captain...," he finally managed to say. Turning to the crew, who had just made their way down from the masts, he ordered them to open the sails once more. They grumbled and complained loudly in protest (But we just finished! Would you make up your bloomin' mind?), but quickly obeyed nevertheless.

"Mr. Hawkins," called Amelia. "Tie down those lifelines good and tight!"

"Aye, aye, Captain!" Jim bolted across the deck to the center mast and began tightening any loose knots securely.

High above, the sails came down and flashed dully as the ship was dragged helplessly towards the black hole's gaping maw. Nothing could be understood through the turmoil as another shockwave, larger than the last, crashed into the ship. Captain Amelia was tossed hard into the mast behind her.

Mr. Arrow, high up near the crow's nest, was jolted into the air and tumbled overboard. His fall was suddenly broken when his lifeline caught on the mast and became taut. He held on tight as he swung a bit and then began to climb.

Arrow stopped in his ascension when he noticed something moving above. He looked up to see a shadow moving behind the white sails. It was eight-legged and moved with a calculating gait, like that of an insect. A pair of ovalish, bright orange-yellow eyes appeared from behind the sail, as well as a shiny black and red exoskeleton.

Scroop.

"Lifelines secured, Captain!" called Jim after completing his task.

Captain Amelia was back up and controlling the wheel once again. Doctor Doppler was even more anxious as he read the code being emitted from his energy-reading instruments.

"Captain, the last wave, here it comes!" he announced.

"Hold on to your lifelines, gents, it's gonna be a bumpy ride!" shouted the Captain to no one in particular. She was completely caught up in the moment and wore a wide, toothy grin as she held the wooden steering wheel firmly.

Sora and Kairi ran down the stairs to where Jim and Silver were, looking for something to hold on to. They huddled up against the thick wood of the mast; Silver's body was more than large enough to cover their backs as he hugged them protectively against the pillar.

The Legacy was drawn backwards into the black hole, having already lost its battle for freedom. The great vortex sucked in the light and consumed it greedily, plunging everything into a terrifying bout of total darkness. Sora jammed his eyes shut and waited as the howling winds died. The world fell into complete and utter silence.

Sora's pounding heartbeat was all he could hear as the seconds crawled by.

One...

They continued to fall through the abyss.

Two...

Sora's heart hammered in his chest; he thought it would explode.

Three...

He clutched the mast tighter under Mr. Silver's dark brown trench coat, not daring to breathe.

Four...

Suddenly, something flashed deep in the bowels of the black hole. A massive pillar of flame erupted from within, bubbling and rising faster than lava from a volcano. It travelled from deep within the endlessly unfathomable depths of the abysmal vortex, white-hot and brighter than the sun.

The hexagons on the sails pulsed brilliantly in response to the sudden surge of light and the engines kicked into overdrive. The Legacy hurtled straight out of the black hole's mouth and out of its reach in less than five seconds, traveling way faster than was strictly safe.

Sora finally opened his eyes when he heard the crew whooping and cheering in celebration. He, Kairi and Jim were released from Silver's grasp, and they stood up to laugh and share in the feeling of elation washing over the ship. Sora and Kairi beamed at each other. They were alive!

They made their way through the crowd, eventually finding Riku and Skyra. Ardeo was standing over by Morph, who had melted onto the floor, looking sick.

On the upper deck, Doctor Doppler was excitedly rambling about how amazing the Captain's actions were. She simply brushed it off like it was nothing and commented him on his helpful astronomical advice.

"Why-thank you!" he said, his momentary surprise getting him tongue-tied. "Well, I have a lot of advice to offer anatomically-ammanomonically-astro...astronomically..." he slapped his head at his repetitive pronunciation errors.

Captain Amelia strode down the stairs to where the crew had gathered and cleared her throat to get their attention.

"Well, I must, ah...congratulate you Mr. Silver. It seems your cabin boy did a bang-up with those lifelines," she said with a smile.

Jim and Mr. Silver pushed each other playfully, unable to suppress their smiles.

"Yeah, great job, Jim!" cheered Sora, standing behind them. Kairi, Riku, Donald, Goofy and Skyra were all in high spirits as well.

Captain Amelia was obviously satisfied with herself and the outcome of the situation, but she tried to maintain a level of professionalism through the crew's ecstasy.

"All hands accounted for, Mr. Arrow?"

No one responded. Everyone hushed up, wondering where he was.

"Mr. Arrow?" repeated Captain Amelia, scanning the deck for his broad, red-clad form.

The silence was broken when soft taps could be heard on the wooden floor. A dark, multi-legged creature presented himself, coming forward through a gap in the crowd. Scroop crawled slowly as if bearing a heavy burden, walking on six legs while he held something small in his crab-like pincers. The crew began to mutter amongst themselves.

Kairi gave a small gasp and held her hands over her mouth when she saw what it was. "Oh no..."

"What is it?" asked Sora, noticing her reaction. He followed her shocked gaze and instantly realized what was in Scroop's claws.

Mr. Arrow's hat.

Scroop solemnly presented the hat to Amelia. "I'm afraid...that Mr. Arrow has been lost." he said sorrowfully, lowering his head in respect.

Amelia was mute as she took the navy blue hat into her slender hands. A rare expression of shocked grief graced her features. She was now staring down at the only piece of her friend she had left.

"I'm afraid," continued Scroop in his low voice, "that his lifeline was not properly secured." No one saw the twisted smile on his face.

All eyes immediately turned to Jim. The Captain's lips were pressed tight as she stared at him in silent accusation, feeling entitled to an explanation.

"No, I checked them all!" said Jim, becoming frantic. He turned, pushing past Sora and some of the crew to get to the mast where the lifelines were tied down. He froze in denial when his eyes fell upon the set of circumscribed pins. One was distinctly missing a lifeline.

"I-I did- I checked them all-they were secure..." He trailed off; voice dropping as he tried to convince the Captain as well as himself that he wasn't to blame. "I swear..."

He faced the Captain, trying to alleviate the guilt becoming evident on his face, waiting for her verdict. She did not reply to him, only turning back to the crew with sad eyes. The crew was silent as she spoke on Mr. Arrow's behalf, deeply hurt but wearing a tough face.

"Mr. Arrow was a...fine spacer." she said, pausing only to quietly clear her throat. "Better than most of us...could ever hope to be. But he knew the risks, as do we all. Resume your posts...we carry on." She turned after the short speech and silently walked up the stairs to her stateroom.

Jim was left looking completely shaken. Sora, wanting to comfort Jim, gently tried to grasp his shoulder.

"Jim, it's not your-"

His sentence was cut off when Jim tore away from his reach and bolted in the other direction, trying to hide his face ashamedly.

"Jim, wait!" Sora started, but was held back by Riku. Sora looked up at him in question. He shook his head slowly.

"Let him go," said Kairi softly.

Sora stared after Jim's disappearing form for a moment more, and then reluctantly followed them to the crew's quarters.

* * *

For the past half hour, the six had done virtually nothing but twiddle their thumbs in silence. Most of the crew had already fallen sound asleep and no one spoke, deciding to sulk in their hammocks in mutual quietness, with the exception of Sora, who was sitting on the stairs and gazing at the stars outside. Mr. Arrow's death hung heavily over them like a black curtain.

"It's hard to believe he's actually dead," stated Kairi suddenly.

Everyone lifted their heads to glance at her as she broke the silence. Skyra paused in her carving of a small block of wood and Sora turned his head towards them, letting his eyes fall to the floor. She was right. Mr. Arrow, the man made of rock, was the very last person that could be expected to go down

"Yeah..." agreed Goofy with a sniffle. "He seemed so strong and tough..." He wiped his eyes with a gloved finger.

"Oooohhhh," sighed Donald in depression. "Poor Mr. Arrow..."

"And Jim, too," added Sora, thinking about how bad he had taken it. "He still hasn't come back yet..."

Suddenly, he tensed and crouched low, sensing movement outside.

"Hey guys, I think Mr. Silver's out there!" he watched as the dark form lumbered away into the night, listening to the soft thumping sound of a peg leg.

"You think he's gone to find Jim?" asked Kairi. Sora shrugged.

"I don't know... Come on, let's follow him!"

Riku gave Sora a look as the brunette got to his feet and urged the others to go sneak off with him. "Sora, don't you know better than to spy on other people's conversations?"

"It's not spying, Riku. We're just going to watch them from behind some barrels or something," stated Sora as a matter-of-factly.

Riku's eyebrows knitted together as Sora had basically defined the word "spying". He watched as he, Donald, Goofy and Kairi snuck quietly onto the deck.

As he debated whether he should stop them, go with them, or just stay there, he noticed that Ardeo seemed to be staring intently at Skyra from atop her lap. They stayed that way for a moment and then Skyra nodded, and Ardeo silently glided out of the room. He looked at her.

"What was that?" She didn't answer at first, and his eyes widened slightly when an idea entered his mind. "Wait...are you...?"She looked at him slyly over her shoulder as she settled into her hammock.

"Why Riku, I think you have the wrong idea. Spying is an invasion of privacy, is it not?" With that, she laid down with her back facing Riku, leaving him to wonder at her behavior.

He fell back into his hammock as the candles flickered dimly inside their lanterns. Was she doing what he thought she was? He wiggled onto his side and concentrated. Remembering their mental connection, Riku closed his eyes and thought hard about the little dragon. Swirling colors flashed before his eyes before settling, and he was suddenly looking out onto the starlit deck from an elevated position.

He marveled again at the remarkable sensation. He saw the world from Ardeo's eyes, felt the claws gripping the wood beneath him, even feeling the soft caress of the night breeze on the dragon's glimmering scales. He felt as if he and Ardeo were almost one being. The folded leathery wings were his, the tail swishing gently behind him was his as well.

He also felt another presence... Skyra? He experimented with the connection, trying to talk to her. She pretended to ignore him. Wondering on it briefly, he turned his attention to the scene below, cutting into a sentence.

"-asn't your fault'cha kno'."

Mr. Silver was leaning on the railing with his pipe, while Jim sat up on the netting that ran from the edge of the ship up to the mast.

Jim didn't respond to Silver's attempt at comforting him, reluctant to open up. Riku could tell his mind was on Mr. Arrow. Didn't take a genius. Almost anyone would be like that if a good honest man was falling through a black hole because of them. Jim sighted pointedly, but Silver continued with a slightly more jolly expression.

"Why, half the crew'd be, spinnin' in that black abyss if it weren't fer-"

"Look, don't you get it?" snapped Jim, jumping down to the deck in front of Silver. "I screwed up! I mean, for two seconds, I thought that maybe I could do something right! But-" He ran his hands forcefully through his hair in aggravation "-Aagh!"

Unable to control himself for much longer, he stormed away from the thickset Mr. Silver before leaning heavily against the dark wood mast a few yards away. Riku couldn't tell from here, but he was sure he was struggling not to cry. He took some deep breaths in an attempt to calm himself. "Just... Just forget it-forget it..." His voice cracked at the last word and he went silent.

A brief silence passed and then Silver moved quickly to take Jim by the shoulder and turned him around, but he was reluctant to face him. He spoke in a low but serious tone at first to get his attention.

"Now, you listen 'ter me, James Hawkins." He enunciated the name for emphasis. Jim finally lifted his head to him, eyes on the verge of tears as Mr. Silver pointed a finger the size a large sausage into his chest with an encouraging smile.

"You got the makins' of greatness in yeh. But'che gotta take the helm and chart yer own course! Stick to it, no matter the squalls! And when when the time comes yeh really get teh test the cut o'yer sails and show what'cher made of..." He raised his arms by his sides with a huge grin. "...well...I hope I'm there, catchin' some o' the light comin' off ye that day..."

Mr. Silver half turned and looked dreamily out into space and, eyes closed as if savoring a happy memory. He smiled down at Jim again. Jim gazed up at him for a moment, weariness and sorrow reflecting in his eyes, and suddenly leaned forward into his great stomach. Silver suddenly looked a bit embarrassed and uncomfortable as Jim began to cry silently on his shirt. Riku could tell this because Jim's shoulders were shuddering to his shaky breathing.

With a quick look around, Mr. Silver patted him on the shoulder before hugging the sobbing Jim, gently telling him "it's alright". They stayed there for a moment before Silver looked embarrassed again cleared his throat suddenly. He pulled away with a grunt and rubbed Jim's head, messing up his medium length hair.

"Well, I best be gettin' back to me watch, and you best be gettin' some shut-eye," he said as he turned Jim around and gave him a little push towards the crew's quarters. Jim continued to walk silently until he reached the stairs leading down into the room. He looked back once to smile in Mr. Silver's direction, and then walked down the stairs.

Riku closed his eyes and relaxed as his mind returned to his body. He smiled as Jim blew out the candles, apparently not noticing the absence of Sora and his little gang of spies. They would probably come back later, along with Ardeo.

Thanks to Silver, he was sure Jim would come out of this little depression. He was silent as Jim fell into his hammock, unaware that anyone else was awake besides him.

* * *

Mr. Silver sighed heavily a few moments after watching Jim disappear into the crew's quarters. He looked worried and perhaps a bit unsure of something.

"Gettin' in too deep here, Morph," he said, seeming a bit on edge. "Next thing yeh know, they'll be sayin' that I've gone soft..."

In response, Morph purred softly, rubbing his little body against Mr. Silver's check in affection. He chuckled, stroking the plasmoid gently and turned to walk away, not noticing a third observer cloaked on shadows standing above; an observer with bright yellow-orange eyes and eight legs.

* * *

**Hi everyone!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

**Oh my gosh, it's done! FINAAAAAAALLLYYYYY! whoohoo! XD**

**And now for the recap!**

**Roxas and Sora had a little brotherly moment there, aaaawwwwww! I tried to make it good without making it cheesy. During dramatic scenes like that one, I need to know that it was done just right so the story gets a good emotional backbone, so tell me how I did on that.**

**Yep, I decided to include the story book from the movie, even though Jim probably never brought it to the Legacy with him… It's cool though, huh? Man, I want a talking holographic book… Not for everything, of course. ^_^**

**Hmmm, it looks like Riku and Skyra got a bit "tied up"... Heheheh XD... It seems that I often center the point of view around Riku for some reason. Oh well, I guess he's just one of those characters that I connect with...**

**Oh yeah, for those who wanted to know, "meteoroid" means that the rock is floating out in space. It is referred to as a "meteor" only when it is hurtling through Earth's atmosphere. It is then called a "meteorite" after it has crashed into the Earth's surface. Just some factual information for ya. :P**

**As for the supernova part... How can I say this...? I had no idea how similar it would be with the meteor storm on the Gummiship. I swear I didn't steal that idea or anything... Maybe it played a subconscious role in the creation of that part or something...? Weird...**

**Sorry it's so long, but I wanted to make it to this part before I go any further, and I honestly feel like I have to put ALOT of detail into everything because I want to do this movie justice (because it rocks!). So, not much I can do about that, unless you guys want me to summarize a bit more. My extremely detailed writing style is both a gift and a curse...so, yeah...**

**Hmm... I wonder what's on Mr. Silver's mind...? Well, keep guessing because you won't figure that out until next chapter! And who else besides our heroes was spying in Silver and Jim? Of course, you all know the answer to that one, right?**

**If you don't, well...sorry, you're beyond my help.**

**My next update should be...soon, hopefully. But just in case it takes a while (again), I've found a very nice fanfic for you all to enjoy while you wait. This one is for Legend of Zelda, and is extremely awesome, so I urge you to check it out. It's seriously epic, and already complete! The URL is below, so click on it or type it up, whichever it allows you to do. Just put a "fanfiction" in front of the ".net"**

**.net/s/4095588/1/**

**Axel: (walks in with Sea Salt ice cream) Hey, I thought this was my episode!**

**Me: Axel, you already got what you wanted, so let me go!**

**Roxas: (walks in) Axel, why is she taped to the wall?**

**Axel: Because: my episode, my rules. This amuses me.**

**Me: (struggles against duct tape) Rrg...! Axel, GET ME DOWN FROM HERE!**

**Roxas: Come on, Axel. You had your fun, release her.**

**Axel: Not just yet... (sticks ice cream in Alexa's mouth)**

**Me: (struggles more and tries to scream through the ice cream) Mnnmmmn! MMMNNNNN! (stops and glares at Axel menacingly)**

**Roxas: uhhhh...she looks mad, Axel...**

**Axel: Pfft! Ahahahahahahahhaa! (falls on the floor)**

**Roxas: (sighs) Well, uh... since the author is...um, unavailable at the moment, I'm just going to say what she wanted to say for her. Ahem, Axel'sChakrams8 will be changing the rating of this story to T for possible (and by that we mean that there probably will be) intense scenes of violence and/or blood later on.**

**Me: Mnnmnm. Mnnmmnnnnnm, mnmn!**

**Roxas: Oh, she also wants you to review. Bye everyone! (smiles big)**

**Axel: (is crying from laughter) hahaa... I can't...ahaha...I can't breathe...ahahaahaa...! (pounds the floor with fist)**

**Roxas: You know she's gonna kill you later, right?**


	9. The True Color of Silver

**Chapter 9 : The True Color of Silver**

**Hello all you wonderful, wonderful people out there!**

**Lol, I hope you all enjoyed the insanely long chapter I wrote last time, 13000 words! Is that even possible?**

**Sorry this took awhile (I told you it would), I was distracted with the movie Quest for Camelot. I watched it over four times in two days; totally AMAZING! I so want to use it, but sadly, it is not a Disney movie...not to mention there are quite a few songs in it. But I loves it sooo much, I might just use it anyway!**

**Reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was also entertaining. WHY do they all keep dying? I swear, J.K. Rowling must've sat there with a blindfold and shot darts at all the disposable characters to decide who would be killed by You-Know-Who! Ah well... The ending was satisfying and completely epic!**

**Okay, two things I wanna say about this chapter:**

**1) Don't ask me why I capitalized the word "Perp", I'm just weird like that.**

**2) the title "The True Color of Silver" is symbolic. You know, 'cause Mr. Silver shows his true colors.**

**3) There are some lines and scenes that are not actually in the movie, but I put them in there to make it work- so, bonus creativity!**

**Axel: (walks by) Hey, have you seen my hair gel, by any chance?**

**Me: Hmm? Umm...nope, no idea.**

**Axel: Ugh, I can't find the stupid thing anywhere...**

**Me: You don't think Demyx might have stolen it, do you? I mean, just to mess with you?**

**Axel: Demyx! That little... (small flames appear on the rug and Axel storms away in search of Demyx)**

**Me: Oh crap! I just sent Axel on a destructive rampage against Demyx! Oh, that poor little sitar-playing waterbender... (gasp) What have I done? (gets up and runs after Axel)**

**Hey, wait- Axel! It wasn't Demyx! I think I saw it somewhere, hey! Come back!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any of its characters. I only own my OC's and the plot of this story.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`**

* * *

Sora was suddenly awakened by a weightless sensation; faintly experiencing a rocking motion similar to drifting in the cool, soothing waves of an ocean. He was slowly brought to his senses, confused as to how he had gotten there, and why he could not hear the cries of seagulls. His eyes were at first slits, but soon opened to their normal size as he stirred sluggishly. His pupils expanded at the darkness they met, and Sora squinted in an attempt to focus on something through the shadows. Instead, he saw strange colors expanding, contracting, and swirling in ghostly patterns above, and a faint glow emanated from below.

He tilted his head backwards as far as it would go, and saw some kind of floor below him. It was then that he realized he had been floating, stationary, on his back in midair. With a little effort, he righted himself so that he was vertical to the ground below, and gently began to descend.

As Sora touched down moments later, he searched the unfamiliar place with his eyes, which shone brilliant blue even in the dim semi-darkness. It most certainly wasn't his Station of Awakening: there were no beautiful depictions of he and his friends, and this curious landscape lacked the same heavenly light that he had seen on a few memorable occasions before.

The white mist that blanketed the area at ankle height receded, leaving Sora standing in a circle of clear space. The floor below him was light blue and made out of some ancient material that he could not name. Looking off into the distance, he attempted to get his bearings on where he might be, but there were no walls in sight and the milky white mist seemed to stretch on indefinitely.

_Where am I?_, he thought to himself.

Only the gentle hiss of the obscuring haze answered his query and he turned on the spot, hoping to see something penetrate the plain landscape. He jumped in surprise when his prayers were instantly answered in the form of small blurs of color appearing around him.

The waves of silky white condensation hid their forms from view, but they gave off colored light, each one unique as they materialized in a perimeter around him like small lanterns.

They shone brighter, each a different color of the spectrum: royal purple, cerulean blue, indigo, jade green, golden yellow, fiery orange and ruby red; seven in all. Sora turned on the spot to view them, wondering what was happening. The colored orbs gave off another flash from beneath the fog, and seven laser-like beams of light bolted like lightning from their respective orb of color.

He watched as they blazed outward like fire from a star, with him at the center. The fog around him retreated as if met with a strong gust of wind, and a large pattern began to appear on the floor below. The mysterious colored orbs rose from the ground and slowly began to rotate around him. They seemed to be small, curiously shaped objects made of bronze; though their radiance obscured them for the most part.

Then, positioned at the end of each colored ray, strange shadowy forms emerged into view. Sora strained his eyes to see them. However, the seven figures were distant, and it was impossible to make out exactly what they were. Some were larger than others and varied in shape. Strange, unintelligible whispers drifted through the air, as if the weird creatures were conversing with each other over some urgent matter. One resembled a snakelike creature, and he thought he could make out tentacles on another, but the clearest and the tallest one of all was the humanoid giant standing before the red beacon...

The giant's body was dark and armored; ancient looking markings adorned his shoulders and breastplates. He wore a great helmet of gold and a torn cape of red. Though he wore protection, he was not human. Dark fur could be seen where the armor did not reach, and great bull-like horns curved upward from the helmet, which also stretched down over his muzzle.

Towering hundreds of feet tall, the minotaur's battle-worn appearance radiated confidence and experience in combat. From beneath his visor, a pair of burning red eyes cut through Sora's mind like a knife, and deep voice that shut out the whispers boomed inside his head, seeming to come from within his very being; loud, but calm.

"THIS QUEST WILL BE LONG AND FORMIDABLE. ONLY THE BRAVE OF HEART MAY CONQUER THE TRIALS AHEAD. THE VERY ORIGINS OF THE UNIVERSE AND ALL ITS DIMENSIONS ARE TIED DEEPLY WITH YOUR DESTINY, AND THERE IS MUCH FOR YOU TO LEARN."

Sora clutched his head in surprise and panic as pictures began flashing across his mind, branding their white-hot images into his memory. At first, he was observing a chaotic battle. Two massive armies were locked in mortal combat; loud clangs and roars were heard as light glinted off steel and bodies were sent hurtling through the air.

The vision was shaky, with periodic flashes and blurred spots; but through the disorder he noticed light and darkness clashing as if alive in the sky above, and that each armored soldier carried a unique Keyblade.

Sora staggered backwards as the scene changed, and the searing pain only intensified. Now he saw a man in his late thirties writing excitedly on a piece of parchment with a quill pen. In the dim light, random strands of silver-grey gleamed with age amongst his dark hair. His green eyes glinted with revelation, as if he had just discovered the most amazing secret ever.

With another blinding flash, the picture changed again. Seven colored orbs broke through the bottomless darkness and began to dance animatedly before his eyes. He watched as their circle tightened and they fused into a shining keyhole.

Sora kept his eyes locked shut as the torment reached a new pitch, forcing him to his knees. His breath came rapidly and he could hardly think through the supernatural pain; he let out a low groan. He now felt as if someone were running a stick of glowing hot metal down the back of his head, and he could not suppress his shuddering. He had no idea how much longer he could endure this suffering, and he prayed desperately that it would be over. Below him, a golden light traced a brilliant pattern on the floor.

It began with a dragonfly and then branched into a set of scales, equally balanced. Before long, the symbol was complete: decorative wings had sprouted from the scales and a giant circle formed in the background, which then became an old-fashioned combined sun and crescent moon. Wind erupted from where he sat and made his hair wave about uncontrollably as he tried to speak.

"I-I don't...understand," he said in a strangled gasp. "These pictures...they don't...make any sense...!"

"UNFORTUNATELY, KNOWLEDGE DOES NOT COME EASILY," answered the booming voice. "BUT THIS IS ALL I CAN SHOW YOU."

Sora clutched his splitting head tighter as more images forced their way into him. He saw a man suspended in the air with chains attached to his ankles and wrists. Darkness hid most of his form, except for his white hair, which was illuminated by a small strand of light.

A blinding purple flare overtook the scene and a heart-wrenching, tortured scream that was not his own rang in his ears. An animalistic roar mingled with the screaming and a fiery gold lion blazed into his vision, growling with terrifying ferocity.

Sora cried out in agony as the vision finally subsided, leaving him panting and still kneeling on the hard floor. He dropped his arms, letting his head hang low and his shoulders droop in exhaustion. Sora stared unseeingly through sagging eyelids, unable to find the strength to move.

"MY APOLOGIES FOR THE STRAIN THE VISIONS INFLICT, BUT I WAS CHARGED WITH THE DUTY TO REVEAL THEM TO YOU," explained the strange booming voice. "WHEN YOU AWAKE, HOWEVER, THE WEARINESS WILL BE LEFT BEHIND."

Sora remained motionless as a dark shadow passed over him. He was much too weak and lightheaded to do anything else. From high above, a massive armored hand descended quickly upon his vulnerable form, with nothing there to stop it from crushing him into dust.

It came closer and closer, but Sora only relaxed as everything went dark, and quite suddenly, it was over.

* * *

He was jolted awake as something suddenly bumped into his hammock, causing it to swing back and forth violently. He instinctively clung to the fabric for dear life as frantic footsteps met his ears. When the hammock finally stopped bucking, Sora looked up with tired eyes to see Jim chasing Morph about playfully; missing one of his boots.

The luaghing blob of floating pink plasma was gliding about the room while holding Jim's other boot, and Jim was chasing him with a predatory grin. He slid under another hammock and scrambled after the mischievous Morph as the creature floated out onto the deck. Seeing the time of day, they were probably the first ones out there.

In the distance, he could hear Jim shouting at Morph, "Come back here, you little squid!" Sora smiled as Morph echoed Jim's words before they fell out of earshot.

It seemed that Jim was feeling much better after last night's ordeal. As the crew began to stir, Sora fell back into his gently swaying hammock, still wanting to sleep after being so rudely awakened. Silver's pep talk was probably what did it, thought Sora. He was glad Jim was getting over it, and so turned his thoughts back to the dream he had been having.

What had that been all about anyway? The more he thought about it, the less it seemed to make sense. What was that thing, and why was it showing him those images? The orbs of light, the shadowy creatures surrounding him...what did it mean?

Sora closed his eyes and allowed his mind to wander as the early morning sun drifted into the room.

* * *

Jim flew down the stairs lead the galley, fully awake and in hot pursuit of the playful Morph. The room was dim in the morning light and he crouched, scanning under a table and throughout the dark room for any sign of him. He had already retrieved his other boot, and now stalked forward towards the round kitchen area.

Morph was undoubtedly hiding from him. He could be any one of the small objects scattered about; a fork, or perhaps a sponge. He turned his attention to a barrel filled about halfway with Perps. Peering in, he spotted Morph peeking up, disguised as one of the purple, pear-like fruits. He instantly shut his big round eyes, knowing that he had been discovered.

"Gotcha!" cried Jim, diving headfirst into the massive barrel.

He scrambled into a sitting position, trying to cover up any holes in his fist that Morph could slip out of. He groped for the slippery plasmoid like he was a bar of soap, but froze when shuffling footsteps and familiar voices reached his ears.

"'Vee are 'vuanting to move!"

It was the demon-ish creature; the one who likes to operate the Legacy's laser ball cannon. Jim peeked through a small ventilation gap in the wood of the barrel. From what he could make out, some of the crew had gathered in the galley for some reason...

"We don't move till we've got the treasure!"

Jim saw the shadow of a mechanical fist clenching, and his eyes expanded horror. He hushed Morph and continued to watch the conversation, unnoticed. He hardly dared to breathe as the ship creaked quietly.

"I say we kill them all now..." said a low, dangerous voice. Scroop had crawled onto the scene with his deadly proposal.

Silver's impatience turned nasty, and he grabbed Scroop's long, bug like face in the gap between his eyes and mouth and lifted him effortlessly into the air. Scroop's many spider-like legs grasped at Silver's arms for a handhold, but he was wary of the cook's powerful bionic arm.

"I'll say what's to be said, see!" growled Silver heatedly. "Disobey my orders again like that stunt yer pulled with mister Arrow, and so help me, you'll be JIONIN' IM!"

With that, he hurled Scroop mercilessly at the barrel that Jim was concealed in. Jim held on tight as the heavy container shook from the impact, but Scroop's tough exoskeleton protected him from any serious damage, despite the force of it. He got up and continued to speak, giving Mr. Silver a hateful glare.

He was only inches away. Jim wondered if Scroop could smell fear, because it was radiating from him in waves. If he simply looked into the barrel, Jim's paralyzed form would be found, and who knows what would happen then? It was all he could do to remain silent, knowing that he had stumbled upon something big.

It sounded like the crew had been planning a mutiny, with Silver acting as their ringleader...

"Strong talk," hissed Scroop. "But I know otherwisssse..."

Jim nearly had a heart-attack when a giant, shiny black and crimson claw appeared inches from his face. His scream caught in his throat and his body locked up, inches from death. It took him a long second to realize that Scroop wasn't trying to kill him, but was instead reaching absentmindedly into the barrel in search of a Perp fruit. The claw groped blindly for a moment and Jim carefully handed it a Perp. The claw disappeared.

"You got sumthin' to say, Scroop?" asked Silver in mock-interest.

"It's that boy," hissed Scroop, a knowing grin spreading across his face. "Methinks you have a soft...spot fer him..."

He used the point of his claw to puncture the soft fruit for emphasis, allowing fresh juice to dribble from the small wound.

From what Jim could see, Silver glanced around self-consciously before recovering with dark expression. He pointed his finger at the surrounding shipmates, making them cringe away; and spoke low and dangerously in warning.

"Now mark me- the lot o' yeh! I care about one 'ting and one 'ting only: Flint's trove! And I can't risk it all for the sake of some, nose-wipin' little whelp!"

Jim's heart clenched at the betrayal.

Scroop brought up his claws to the side of his face, mocking Mr. Silver with a sick pleasure.

"What was it now...? 'You got the makings of greatness in ya...'"

Silver was completely caught off guard, and so was Jim. Had Scroop been listening in on their conversation? Mr. Silver quickly recovered, snapping into a nasty mood, eyes blazing in a clear attempt to intimidate the others and assert his leadership.

"Shut yer yap! I cozied up to that kid ter keep 'im off our scent," he said with a nonchalant wave of his hand. He turned back to Scroop and pointed a threatening oversized finger at him. "An I ain't gone soft...!"

An ecstatic shout and a loud whistle sounded from outside, capturing their attention.

"Laaaand hooooo!" came the high squeaky voice, which no doubt belonged to the lookout; a short, excitable, yellow creature with six stalked eyes and a blue hat.

The portion of the crew in the galley gasped, eyes lighting up with savage wonder. They were finally there! With much scrabbling and shoving, Mr. Silver and the rest of the crew present hurried out to the deck to gaze upon their final destination themselves, leaving Jim in the Perp barrel to digest what he had just heard.

* * *

"Come on, Sora, wake up already!"

Said boy only moaned and buried his head deeper into his arms, much to the annoyance of an exasperated Riku. He poked Sora some more and threatened him with a fate much worse than death until Kairi came forth in attempt to awaken him. She rubbed his arm gently and murmured soft words of encouragement, but he did not respond.

Sora wasn't still tired from the dream or anything. No, he was just lazy, and possibly a little bit bored.

"Ugh, that's it," announced Riku. He positioned himself about two feet away from Sora's bunk before delivering a strong kick at the brunet's back. With a creak and a surprised yelp, Sora lost balance with the hammock and fell to the hard floor with a thump.

"Oops," said Riku, looking away innocently. Kairi turned to him with a huff.

"Riku, you abuse him too much," she accused, even as she was trying hard not to smile.

"Excuse me," replied Riku with a smirk. "I'll have you know that I give him just the right amount of abuse."

"You still enjoy it a little too much."

"Ahyuck! Uh, guys…have a look at this," interrupted Goofy with a chuckle.

They were all dumbstruck, especially Riku, to find that Sora had curled up on the wooden floorboards and was snoring away happily. Apparently, it didn't matter to him_ where_ he slept. Donald ruffled up his feathers with a growl and marched over to stand above Sora's oblivious form. Tilting the boy's head so that one ear was fully exposed, Donald yelled at him with the force of a trumpet blast.

"WAKE UP YOU LAZY BONEHEAD!"

Sora slapped him away and continued to snooze. Donald's feathered face turned bright red, and he began shaking with rage at being ignored. Steam blew out of where his ears would have been and the duck erupted into a fit of rage directed at Sora, spitting out incomprehensible insults and threats. Goofy quickly grabbed Donald from behind and held him above the ground in an attempt to keep him from ripping off Sora's spiky hair.

"PUT ME DOWN, YOU BIG PALOOKA!" the magician quacked through violent struggling.

"Wait a minute, Donald," said Goofy while trying to avoid being smacked by his captive. "I think I have a better idea!"

Donald stopped resisting to raise a suspicious eyebrow at him. "What are you talking about?"

"What was Sora's only weakness?" quizzed Goofy while holding up one finger. Donald's expression suddenly shifted into an evil grin and Sora involuntarily twitched on the floor.

Riku watched in amusement as the two silently and suspiciously stalked up to Sora as if he were their prey. As they reached him, Sora became tense, opening one eye in fear of what they were about to do. Right at that moment, Donald and Goofy both tackled Sora, who shrieked as his attackers tickled him mercilessly. He flailed like a wild man and tried to crawl away in his desperate effort, but the two wrestled with him and held him down, fingers wiggling as they howled in joyful laughter.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no! Please-please don't-no! Ahahahahahaa...! Stop it, stop it-no! *snort* Aha-hahaaahahaa!"

Kairi giggled at their antics, and Riku threw his head back in laughter while holding his stomach. Ardeo suddenly appeared and did aerial loops above Sora while chirping shrilly with glee. Donald and Goofy continued to wither away at Sora's defenses until he went into hysterics and could barely breathe; tears beginning to run down his flushed cheeks.

"C-cut it out...! Please...I can't...hahaha-aha...I can't breathe...! Hahaha... I... I give up-ahahaha... I give up, stop...!"

Donald and Goofy finally got off Sora with satisfied looks, while the boy laid breathlessly on the floor; chest heaving as he tried to suck in precious air. A few moments went by as they all continued to chuckle and snort like idiots while Sora gradually regained his wind. A sudden cry and the sound of pounding footsteps rang throughout the cabin, breaking the moment.

"C'mon, let's check it out," said Riku coolly, with a wave of his hand. When Sora finally managed to pick himself back up off the ground, he followed his companions out into the bright morning sun, simultaneously planning some sort of revenge for Donald and Goofy. Sora's breath once again caught in his chest as he beheld the scene opening up before his eyes like a painting.

Just like in the storybook, the captivating light green planet loomed ahead of them, half obscured by the grayish pale green clouds of fog. They sailed slowly closer, around floating spires of odd-looking rock. Treasure Planet gazed mysteriously back at them with its two rings circumscribing it, promising legendary riches to them- the first to ever finally reach it.

The lookout above was jumping up and down and shouting with glee, while the brutish crew members lined up in fascination along the sides and front of the ship. They gasped and whispered amongst themselves in excitement, spreading their euphoria throughout the atmosphere. A broad grin crept upon Sora's face, and he turned to his friends, who shared equally his feelings of anticipation.

In the corner of his eye, Sora saw Mr. Silver fumbling through his pockets in search of something to get a better view of the planet with. Coming up empty, he headed down towards the galley in a hurry, and Sora watched him descend out of sight.

They continued to admire the hazy object with awe, until a distant angry shout was heard, followed by Jim rushing up to them. He ran like a madman, eyes filled with worry and looking as if he were being pursued by none other than Captain Flint himself. They turned their attention to him in concern.

"Hey, Jim. What's wrong?"

"No time," he said breathlessly. "C'mon!"

He grabbed Sora's wrist and urged them to follow as he bolted up the steps in panic. Sora was barely able to keep up as Jim dragged him along, nearly falling forward. Wondering what they were running from, he glanced behind him.

Down at the steps of the galley, Mr. Silver was scrambling to his feet. The device on his leg that regulated air pressure had been punctured, and air was leaking rapidly from the hole. He was having difficulty getting to his feet as he scanned the deck impatiently. Silver's eyes found them with a raging fury Sora didn't know he had. What on earth was going on?

On the way to wherever it was they were going, they met Skyra, who paused to stare at them like they were idiots for running _away_ from Treasure Planet. Kairi grabbed her before she could respond, however, and she was unwillingly dragged along behind them.

Not a second later, Jim burst through the door to the Captain's stateroom. Still confused, they all rushed in behind him like lunatics, probably scaring Captain Amelia out of her wits, or at least making her angry at them. Ardeo and Morph barely had time to dash through the opening before Jim slammed the door shut. The dragon returned to the safety of Skyra's shoulder while Jim leaned heavily with his back to the door.

"Mr. Hawkins, what is the meaning of this?" demanded the Captain. Sora turned to him as well.

"Yeah, Jim, what's going on?"

He quickly explained everything he had seen and heard from inside the Perp barrel in the galley. He told them about how the crew was really planning a mutiny, and that Mr. Silver was the leader of the group. He hurriedly concluded with what had occurred when Silver went back down into the galley. He had realized that Jim had been hiding there during his meeting with the crew, and cornered him against one of the tables. Jim had been too quick, however, and managed to stab part of Silver's bionic leg with a tool in order to escape.

Captain Amelia furiously strode over to the wardrobe standing on the port side of the room, unlocking it and taking out some objects. "Pirates on my ship, I'll see they all hang!" she growled, pulling out an old fashioned-looking pistol and cocking the ammo cartridge.

Through the thick wooden door, much yelling and roaring could be heard- the ex-crew mates were preparing to overtake them.

"Doppler, familiar with these?" asked Amelia, tossing him one of the pistols. He fumbled to catch it, just managing not to drop the dangerous weapon.

"Oh, yes," he started, clasping the gun with two fingers by the handle as if it were diseased and then taking it and holding it loftily in thought. "I-I've seen...well I've read-"

A powerful blast of green energy escaped from the pistol, making everyone jump and reducing a globe to sparks. Amelia stared at the result of Doppler's carelessness, not seeming to care that he had only missed her by a mere two feet.

"-Uh, nope, no I'm not." finished Dr. Doppler. Amelia rolled her eyes.

"Hawkins, defend this with your life." The Captain tossed Jim an odd looking sphere. It seemed to be made of copper or bronze, and had multiple circles and crisscrossing lines etched onto its surface. As the shiny orb sailed through the air, Morph dashed across its path and caught it in his mouth. The pink blob began spinning in circles excitedly, happy at being in possession of the coveted item.

"Morph, no!" yelled Jim as he hopped up and down, finally snatching Morph out of the air and separating him from the strange object.

"I don't get it," said Sora. "What is that thing?"

"The map."

"Weirdest map I've ever seen," remarked Riku, folding his arms.

"Well, there's a special way to unlock it," replied Jim, pacing the sphere into his pocket. Angry red sparks began to fly from the door as the roaring grew louder. It seemed the mutineers were trying to destroy the lock.

_If they get in,_ thought Sora, _we won't last a minute..._

Captain Amelia took out a large rifle for herself and strode over to the starboard side of the room. She spoke quickly as her hands expertly reloaded the clip.

"Alright everyone, I want you to stay close and keep your heads down. They've probably already broken into the weapons storage by now."

"Wait, where are we going?" asked Kairi.

Captain Amelia turned off the safety switch and aimed the rifle at the floor. "Down."

She pulled the trigger. The resulting flash of energy was enough to make a rather large gash in the wood. Sora stared down into the dark hole, where broken wires were sizzling with energy. It seemed strange to him that this ship made of wood was actually equipped with electricity...

"Well, don't just stand there, go!" prompted Skyra, shoving the Key bearer into the hole. With cry of surprise, he fell through with arms waving, and she leapt in after him. The others quickly followed, jumping one at a time through the break in the floor.

Sora landed hard on the floor below, turning his momentum into a summersault to dodge the flow of traffic raining down from above. Jim touched down next, then Kairi and Riku, followed by Doppler and Captain Amelia. They had no time to rest, however: a jarring boom and sounds of crashing met their ears from above.

The pirates had breached the door, and they were seconds from being discovered.

"Run!" yelled Captain Amelia, taking up the rear as the group raced through the narrow hallway. It looked like a maintenance shaft, with many pipes and crates lining the inner workings of the ship. Clanging footsteps echoed off the metal grating below as they were guided by the glowing orange light that cast eerie shadows of the pipes along the walls. Sora had been down here before, since it was used to get to various parts of the Legacy's interior. Picking up the sound of more footsteps behind them, Sora kicked even harder, running for all he was worth.

After turning a corner and dashing the rest of the way down the straight corridor, they finally reached the docking bay, where two longboats were tethered up. This room was located right in the front end of the ship. An amazingly thick beam of timber came down from the ceiling in the center of the space, beyond which were three walkways and two small boats held up by cables.

Captain Amelia stopped only to slam the door in the face of an approaching pirate, locking it behind her. Not wasting another moment, she aimed her rifle at the gears of the lock and shot a stream of crackling electricity at it, causing the metal to glow red with heat. She then pulled down the barred lever attached to the massive pillar of wood, and gears could be heard grinding as the hatch below them slid open. Light poured into the dark room as the shaft below them opened up like the jaws of a metallic creature.

"To the longboats, quickly!" she ordered.

Dr. Doppler clumsily scrambled into the longboat, followed by Jim, Sora, Donald, Goofy, Kairi, Riku and Skyra (all of whome performed the jump with much more grace). Amelia leapt high up into the air, flipping rapidly as her arc took her into the body of the longboat. She descended nimbly, taking out here rifle and reloading it in one smooth motion.

Sora rushed to help Jim untie the ropes that held up the longboat, but as he turned around, he noticed Morph gazing once again at the sphere in his pocket. Suddenly, he scooped up the map in his mouth and quickly dashed out of reach, thinking it would be fun to play keep away.

"Morph, no!" shouted Sora and Jim at the same time. Jim leapt out of the longboat in a desperate attempt to catch Morph. Sora almost went out with him, but just then, green laser blasts screamed through the air around him: the pirates had blasted the door into pieces and were closing in on their position.

He ducked low with Kairi and Riku while Amelia stood up with one foot on the longboat's rim, firing green blasts of smoldering plasma. "Chew on this, you puss-filled boils!" she cried bravely.

Skyra whipped out her throwing knives in case Captain Amelia let anyone get too close. As the opposing lasers struck the boat, leaving charred black marks behind, Dr. Doppler finally stood up in an attempt to get in a shot or two. He cringed and turned his face away as he tentatively aimed the gun in some random direction.

The blast streaked through the air and exploded on a chain, which had been holding a strange engine-looking device to the ceiling. The chain severed and the hunk of metal dropped like a chandelier, crashing into some pirates that had gotten too close. The thin walkway below them was destroyed and they plummeted in terror towards the surface of the planet a mile down; the four-armed giant among their number.

Amelia crouched down next to Doppler, who had just succeeded in doing more damage than any of them.

"...Did you actually aim for that?"

Doppler blinked through his circular spectacles, looking offended. "You know, actually I did!"

Sora would have laughed, but he didn't really feel like it, owning to the fact that a laser had almost just put a hole in his face. He got down low again, hoping Jim would hurry back. A click and aloud hum suddenly caught their attention, and they glanced down. The hatch was closing!

Sora looked over to see Mr. Silver standing triumphantly by the lever that controlled the docking bay hatch, and his heart dropped. If that closed again, there would be no escape. Amelia glanced up, an idea occurring to her.

"Doctor, when I say now, shoot out the forward cables- I'll take this one."

Doppler agreed, preparing to shoot, while Sora searched the starboard side of the room for Jim. He spotted him standing as short distance away, about ten feet from Morph, who still held the map in his mouth. Silver was on the other side of the walkway from him, and was also about the same distance from Morph. The two were calling and whistling to the little creature, trying to coax it to come closer in hopes of retrieving the glimmering sphere. It was an odd set of circumstances, considering the two had practically been father and son not long ago.

Morph floated towards Jim, who was smiling and acting as if he were talking to a dog. Mr. Silver whistled some more and Morph turned back to him. The plasmoid stopped, looking again at Jim and then back to Silver. He continued to glance back and forth with a confused frown, until finally, he dashed down into a pile of rope; taking his treasure into hiding with him.

Mr. Silver started for the rope, but stumbled because his mechanical leg was still defective. He quickly dragged himself the rest of the way, but Jim got there first, pulling out the bronze orb just before Mr. Silver could get it. He stood there with the cold metal sphere in his hand, staring at Silver as if unsure what would happen next, then did a 180 and ran for his life.

Sora watched helplessly as Mr. Silver's arm switched into a personalized pistol and he took aim at Jim's fleeing form with a vengeance. His bionic eye undoubtedly found it's mark in less than a second, but strangely enough, he seemed unable to shoot. Sora just glanced him lowering his weapon as Captain Amelia shouted, "Now!" and two shots sounded at the same time.

His heart leapt up into his throat as the cables holding the small boat in place snapped, and then they were falling towards the opening below, which was quickly diminishing. Sora was almost jolted from his seat when the front end of the longboat hit the half-open gate. The momentary pause was enough to allow Jim to catch up, and he fell onto the edge of the rim as they began sliding out backwards; front end tilting up at an angle.

Sora watched the white paint of the hull as the black opening they had descended out of became smaller and smaller. They were now free-falling with Jim halfway inside the boat, barely holding on. Riku and Dr. Doppler moved to help him up as the longboat rotated around and the Captain activated the solar sails. The thrusters ignited with powerful blue flame.

Captain Amelia directed the craft as fast as possible away from the R.L.S. Legacy, towards the green vegetation of the planet below. Just as Sora thought they were home-free, Dr. Doppler pointed behind them and shouted in warning to Amelia. "Captain, laser ball at twelve o' clock!"

She spotted the purple ball of electrified matter and quickly tried to change direction, but it was too late.

It propelled toward them with unyielding speed, exploding upon contact with the fanlike sail at the rear and making the longboat lurch out of control. The sails were instantly disintegrated and the miniature mast caught fire.

Sora closed his eyes, holding on tight as the roar of the wind consumed all sound; and they plummeted down through the atmosphere, getting steadily closer and closer to the hard earth below.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|~|~~|~~|~|~|~|

* * *

**Oh my, a cliffhanger! I'm so evil~!**

**Heheh... I bet you forgot all about the winged man in chains, didn't you?**

**If you'll remember, I mentioned him in the very first chapter, when Xemnas was observing Sora and Kairi getting on the Gummiship. I won't reveal who he is for some time, but he most certaintly plays a role in the events that unfold. I should have more on him in a chapter or two...maybe even the next one... It's already been pre-written and should prove to be very interesting.**

**And yes, it seems I have included the Keyblade War! The idea came to me as I was writing this, and I think it will definitely be important to this story...**

**Besides the fact that I ended up behind on this chapter and that I'm generally lazy, I was also suffering from writer's block and had some trouble writing a lot of this, so please excuse me if some of it was crappier than usual. Forcing myself to write sometimes works, but not always, so I had to go over it a few times as well, sorry!**

**Obviously, this chapter was a LOT shorter than my last one. This was on purpose, because I didn't want to keep you all waiting any longer. Do you guys like longer chapters, or shorter ones with more frequent updates? It's up to you, but I think it puts less of a strain on me if I make them medium-short (by my standards, that is XD).**

**Me: So, yes...many things to think about... Man, I HATE feeling like a zombie, or a Nobody... All the parts that are supposed to be easy to write take ****FOREVER! DX. Since I'm basically including the whole movie, the Treasure Planet section of the story WILL take a few chapters, so be prepared for that. But don't worry, its nearing its end, and I shan't forget the Heartless!**

**(Some loud crashing is heard and Demyx runs into the room, Sitar drawn in a panic)**

**Demyx: D-dance, water, dance! (water flies towards Axel in columns. He reacts with a powerful fire spell and the water evaporates)**

**Axel: You'll have to do better than that, Waterboy!**

**(Axel charges Demyx in a fury, intent on stabbing him with his Chakrams. Demyx barely avoids them, defending himself with more walls of water)**

**Me: (jumps up and down) Axel! Wait, it wasn't him!**

**(Axel ignores me and sends an exploding ball of fire at Demyx, which knocks away his Sitar and makes him lose balance and fall onto the floor. Demyx fearfully crawls backwards into the corner as Axel slowy paces up to him like a menace)**

**Axel: Now...give me back what you stole or I'll evaporate you along with your water.**

**Demyx: A-Axel, I-**

**Axel: Don't lie to me, Demyx. It'll be the last thing you do...**

**Me: (jumps between them) Whoa, whoa, whoa. Axel, isn't this just a LITTLE bit dramatic?**

**Axel: He **_**stole **_**my hair gel.**

**Me: Axel, I think your hair is just always like that, you don't actually need hair gel. And anyway, Demyx didn't do it so just leave the poor kid alone!**

**Demyx: I-I agree with her... (points finger at me)**

**Axel: (glares at Demyx, who shuts up) How do you know he didn't take it?**

**(?Unknown?): Cuz I got it right here!**

**(Xigbar appears, upside-down in midair, holding a bottle of hair gel)**

**Xigbar: Hahaha! Looks like you got the wrong dude, Axel!**

**Axel: Xigbar?**

**Me: (smirks at Axel) Well, don't you feel smart?**

**Axel: ...(growls)**

**Xigbar: Ahahaha! You should have seen your face! I didn't think you would be that gullible, Axel!**

**Axel: YOU ARE GONNA DIE AND FADE INTO NOTHINGNESS, RIGHT NOW! (lunges at Xigbar)**

**Xigbar: Whoa! Catch ya later, dudes! (disappears)**

**Axel: XIGBAAAAAAAAAR!**


	10. Meet BEN

**Though it doesn't really pertain to this chapter at all, I went back to some of my earlier chapters and was like, "What the crap?" Yeah, it's funny to go back and see how bad some of it was. I'm not gonna kill myself or anything- it wasn't THAT crummy- it just shows how much I've improved. So, I went back and fixed some of it- hooray! Nothing too much, just making it smoother~.**

**From what could be seen from chapter 8, Riku obviously hasn't completely gotten over his past, despite Sora's unending forgiveness. *Sigh*... I'm not just making him melodramatic or anything- there's a point or two as to why he's like that. Besides, he's RIKU for crying out loud; of course he has issues with regret!**

**Also, I think it'd be cool if I made certain changes to the battles. I think I'll include items, forms, combination attacks, ect.- just to make it cooler.**

**One last thing: by the end of this world, the plot will have more direction and focus on the part of Sora and the gang's journey. I obviously didn't say anything on it earlier, but those weird orb things Sora dreamed about are a HUGE part of it.**

**Riku seems to be getting quite a few head injuries... Poor kid. Jeez, what's up with that?**

**Okay, you may just want to start reading now, so I'll just shut up and get on with it. Don't worry; there will be a nice little skit at the end waiting for ya! Thank you DanniPotterLovesGod, Roxas key6, and The Lexicon of Zexion (new reviewer, yay~!) for reviewing my last chapter.**

_**DaniPotterLovesGod**_**- Sorry for the lack of updates, but I believe I've figured out why, as stated in the Author's Note at the end of this chapter.**

_**The Lexicon of Zexion**_**- (love the name, btw)Yeah, I know it really wasn't a cliffhanger for those who have already seen the movie, but I'm glad you like it so far! ^-^**

_**Roxas key 6**_**- I could tell it was you, even though you forgot to show your name. Anyways, since you can't seem to be able to read a chapter without complaining about Axhon's lack of appearances, the skit at the end is for you.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

The small airborne craft whined as it rocketed towards the lush vegetation below. Even at terminal velocity, the speed at which it was travelling was panic-inducing, and each of its occupants held on for all they were worth. No one was screaming; instead focusing the rest of their efforts- and sanity- on simply staying alive as the crippled vehicle left a faint trail of smoke marking its path to the ground.

Probably the only fortunate thing about the situation was that the longboat had not flipped over in midair, which would have spelled the end for those who failed to hold on, and that its previous momentum kept it moving forward instead of just straight down. This meant that a crash-landing was more likely, which was of course preferable to just smacking the ground and splintering into many tiny pieces.

As their proximity with the earth rapidly increased, strange fungi became distinguishable in the immediate area. It was a forest of sorts, which largely consisted of extremely tall green mushrooms. Their overlarge tops were rounded to roughly the size and shape of a ten-foot walnut, and they somehow managed to stay upright on thin, vine-like stalks that reached high up into the heavens.

The longboat jolted violently as it skipped off the head of one dark green mushroom; instantly snapping the rudder from the belly of the craft and sending wood flying in all directions. This did nothing to stop their mad collision course with the ground, and they sped on like an arrow as the tip of the longboat cut into another mushroom; effectively causing it to rupture into scattering bits of goo. The flying deathtrap of a vehicle crashed through some more undergrowth before finally coming into contact with the ground, bouncing back up, coming back down and then pitching forward onto it's nose and flipping upside-down with a sickening crunch.

The capsized longboat continued to drag along the mossy ground for at least another hundred feet before of the laws of gravity and drag finally came into effect, causing it to inch to a grinding halt in the shade of the dense forest.

* * *

Sora groaned as he opened his eyes slowly, vaguely taking in a cross-eyed version of the green canopy above. The Key bearer forced himself into a sitting position, despite the protests of his aching body. He massaged circles into his eyes in an attempt to dispel the headache that threatened to worsen, then shook his spiky head and gazed around to get a look at the terrain. It looked as if he had been ejected from the longboat when it first hit the ground- it was the last thing he could remember...

He suddenly spotted an unmoving heap of blue, yellow and silver lying not far to his right.

"Riku!"

Sora jumped to his feet and sprinted about five yards over to his best friend, rolling him onto his back and cradling his head in one hand. Riku stirred a little and let out a low groan in response to having his rest disturbed.

"S-Sora...?" His ocean colored eyes fluttered open. They were dazed and unfocused as they passed over Sora's face.

"Riku, are you alright?"

Riku half chuckled, half coughed before answering. "You know...I've...always envied you, Sora..."

Sora was suddenly very concerned. Where was all this coming from? Had Riku been seriously injured during the crash? He shook the young man in a panic.

"Riku? Riku, stay with me! What's wrong? Are you hurt?"

"Heheh... What I mean is..." He slowly reached into his pocket, wincing in pain. "...If I had a skull as thick as yours...," he said with a weak smile. "I wouldn't need a truckload of potions..."

He produced a small green bottle from his pocket, sluggishly uncorking it and downing the gooey liquid. The effects of the potion cured his headache immediately, and he sat up with a cocky smirk, one eyebrow raised. Sora was completely lost for words.

"Wha-? I thought you were-! ...Hey! What do you mean I have a thick skull?"

Riku cracked a huge grin at Sora's reaction, and suddenly began to laugh. Sora tried to hold a glare at him; angry that Riku had not only scared him, but also made fun of him at the same time, but he ultimately failed when a small smile twitched onto his face and he was soon joining his friend.

"I'm serious! If I don't get a helmet or something, I'll come out of this with brain damage!" exclaimed Riku. The two shared a good laugh in the near silent forest until Sora finally managed to say something through his chuckling.

"I don't know, Riku. I think you're pretty hardheaded sometimes, too," he said, smiling, as he helped the other teen to his feet. Riku dusted himself off, though there was really no need; the ground was covered in a pillow of thick moss. Suddenly, another sound broke through the air.

Sora and Riku quickly glanced at each other before rushing towards the shuffling sound, soon spotting a trail of disturbed moss and following it deeper through the forest. After a minute of jogging, they found the immobilized longboat with its white belly facing up. Jagged pieces of wood and metal jutted out from where the rudder and sail used to be, and it's painted body was now marked with a new set of nasty scratches and dents. In short: it was beyond all hope of salvaging, even for a mechanical genius like James Hawkins.

Something could be heard stirring underneath it, and one side slowly began rising off the ground. Sora and Riku rushed over to help Jim tip the longboat onto its side so they could escape from beneath it. Reaching out a gloved hand, Sora helped a slightly dizzy looking Kairi get to her feet.

"Kairi, you okay?" he asked.

She nodded, despite her frayed hair and few small cuts and bruises. Getting dragged upside-down in a speeding longboat through a forest was certainly not the most pleasant experience. "I'm okay, Sora. Thanks," she uttered with a weary smile.

She used her fingers to comb her tangled and unruly hair while Jim rubbed his sore neck with a grimace, still sitting on the ground.

"My goodness!" huffed Dr. Doppler. "That was more fun than I ever want to have again..." The dog-like man adjusted his round spectacles and stood up, taking a few steps away from the wrecked longboat.

Captain Amelia was crouching on the ground, and a pleasurable grin spread across her face at Doppler's last comment. She brushed back some displaced strands of hair and stood up, chuckling as she straightened out her uniform.

"Well, it's not one of my, gossamer landings, but..." She was cut off when her face suddenly contorted in pain and she gasped in agony, falling to her knees and clutching her side.

Sora and Kairi jumped, startled, while Dr. Doppler rushed to the fallen Captain in concern. Everyone stared at her in alarm as she was lifted to her feet by Jim and Dr. Doppler.

"Captain! Are you alright?" shouted Goofy, who had suddenly appeared with an angry looking Donald at his side.

"Wha-!"Sora jumped in surprise at his friend's unusually stealthy entrance. "G-Goofy, Donald! Sheesh, don't scare me like that!"

"A-hyuck! Sorry, Sora. Me an' Donald musta' been thrown outta the longboat when it crashed."

Donald gave Goofy a harsh punch in the arm. "Yeah," he quacked. "And this clumsy oaf landed right on my head!" Donald then pointed at a rather large bump on the back of his cranium while Goofy massaged his stinging arm.

"Gawrsh, Donald. I'm sorry..." apologized Goofy for what was probably the tenth time. Donald crossed his arms and tapped his foot, giving a long, drawn out huff to express his annoyance.

"Uh, sorry to pop this little drama bubble," interjected Riku. "But I'd like to direct your attention back to the injured Captain over here..."

"Oh, don't fuss," assured Captain Amelia, trying to stand up on her own. The cat-woman immediately became dizzy, and would have fallen back down had it not been for Jim and Doppler, who caught her and helped prop her up again. "Slight bruising is all," she muttered, straightening up in an attempt to preserve her dignity. "Cup of tea, and I'll be right as rain."

Kairi shot Sora a significant glance. He returned it in concern. The Captain was most certainly lying, but she refused to show it out of determination.

The Captain blinked her yellow and green eyes a few time to clear them. "Mr. Hawkins," she addressed while holding out her gloved hand. "The map, if you please."

Jim gave her one last worried look before slowly reaching into his back pocket and producing the ancient looking sphere. Everyone watched intently as the map suddenly began to move of its own accord. The circular patterns on its surface receded into the sphere as if they were buttons, and pieces of it detached themselves as the orb levitated above Jim's hand.

The pieces began to rotate as the inner core of the map was revealed, and they suddenly took on a pinkish hue. The metal lost its integrity, becoming soft and jelly-like as the floating bits gathered together to form a laughing Morph.

No one's jaw dropped lower that Jim's.

"Morph?" he exclaimed. "Morph, where's the map?"

In response, Morph turned into a miniature version of the pile of rope he had been hiding in on the docking bay of the Legacy. Part of him shifted into a smaller scale treasure sphere, which then flew into the floating pile of rope.

"Are you serious? It's still on the ship?"

Jim was beyond angry; and he showed it by jumping up and down and grasping for the elusive Morph, who still thought this whole game of keep-away was hilarious. The slippery plasmoid flew around Jim's head while babbling incomprehensible nonsense, completely ignorant of his rage.

"Aw man...!" whined Sora, folding his arms and looking at his feet. "Now what're we gonna do?"

Kairi tapped his shoulder to snap him out of his thoughts. "I don't know, but... Sora, isn't there something missing from this picture?"

"Huh?" Sora looked up.

"Hey, you're right..." said Riku thoughtfully. "I didn't notice it until now, but...there's definitely something we're forgetting..."

They surveyed the scene before them. There was the destroyed longboat, Jim, Morph, Captain Amelia, Dr. Doppler, themselves... But what else...?

Sora clapped his hands together once as the answer presented itself to him. "Oh, yeah! I remember what it is now! It's-"

His sentence was cut short when a familiar warping sound reached their ears; coming from behind. They whipped around to come face to face with pack of odd-looking Heartless.

There were nine in all; each monster appeared in the form of a mushroom with six insectile legs. Glowing yellow eyes stood out from the shadows cast by their dome-like heads, which were all dark green and decorated with swirling yellow patterns. The fungal creatures bore the Heartless insignia on their heads, meaning that they were not of the Pureblood variety. They skittered around excitedly before organizing themselves in tight formation, smelling fresh hearts.

Though they came to waist height and were only mildly intimidating, the way they moved combine with their bug-like chattering made Sora's skin crawl with anticipation.

Riku was fastest in reacting, summoning his Way to Dawn Keyblade in a flash of light. The weapon consisted of a narrow black and crimson demon wing, and a smaller angel wing projecting from a point near the tip. An eerie green cat's eye mark stared out from its place right above the hilt. Two miniature angel and demon wings served as the hand guard around the grip, and a red and black Heartless sigil was the keychain. The angel wings had appeared on the blade near the end of their last adventure, signifying that he was free from, and no longer belonged to the darkness, but could wield both light and shadow.

"I got 'em," said Riku, placing himself in front of the others.

He might as well have not even bothered, because just before the hybrid Heartless could attack, streaks of black, red and silver screamed through the air from above. Deep gashes appeared on their soft bodies and the Heartless writhed in their dying cries, fading into nonexistence. Nine glowing hearts rose from the Heartless and then disappeared; they would eventually find their way into another Heartless, for they had not been freed by the Keyblade.

Before either of them could comprehend what had just happened, a shadow blocked out a ray of sunshine escaping through the mushrooms above. A victorious chirping noise sounded as a blur of black and silver descended to the ground, and Sora grinned: he had been right.

"-Skyra," he finished.

Broken strands of light reflected off the silver fleur-de-lies patterns on her shirt as Skyra rose from the ground; Ardeo was chirping and flying circles around her. Everyone watched in impressed silence as she tilted her from side to side, cracking her neck loudly.

"...What?" she asked blankly, noticing their staring.

"That was awesome!" blurted out Sora, earning a smirk from Skyra, who then began to collect her scattered knives.

Ardeo beat his wings in excitement before leaping off Skyra's shoulder to greet the others. The little dragon dived and swirled around each of them before coming to rest on Riku's head, attracting the attention of Morph. Riku was at an utter loss of what to do as Morph zoomed around his head, chirping with Ardeo in joyful reunion. Sora and Kairi laughed at his predicament.

"How'd ya get up there, Skyra?" asked Goofy, pointing his finger to the sky.

"I jumped," she replied simply. All who heard raised their eyebrows.

"Wait, you mean from the longboat?" asked Sora with eyes opened wide.

"Whatever all that was," said Captain Amelia, still angry at Morph's trickery. "Stifle that blob and get low. We've got company."

Jim grabbed Morph to calm him down and the whine of a distant engine reached their ears. Captain Amelia crouched a bit behind the longboat, cat ears low, as the other longboat from the Legacy flew by in a clearing on the other side of it. The twin vehicle was moving slowly; undoubtedly a search party, and was traveling slightly away from their direction.

"We need a more defensible position," grunted Captain Amelia, using her rifle as a crutch as the enemy longboat disappeared into the forest. "Mr. Hawkins, scout ahead."

She handed Jim the other pistol. He stared at it with a certain reverence; he was now being depended on to do something important, and he couldn't mess up this time. His face hardened in resolve.

"Aye, Captain."

* * *

Sora glanced at the ground below, making sure he had the right trajectory. He was crouching on top of what appeared to be an enormous root of some kind, which was, like everything else around here, covered in slippery green moss. After gauging the angle of the root to the ground as safe, Sora pushed himself forward and slid along the massive projection like a slide.

He came up just as Riku slid down behind him, and gazed about the overgrown forest in wonder. There was a little more variety in the species of massive fungi, though the scene was still dominated by those strange mushrooms, which sometimes stood a hundred feet tall. Their two foot-thick trunks split into vine-like roots near the ground, which tangled together and created a sort of cage-effect that looked easy to get trapped in.

Skyra was already up ahead with Jim, knives out in preparation of a possible Heartless attack. After Donald and Goofy decided to stay back with Kairi, she had opted to accompany Jim in the search for a place to hide, saying that someone had to watch his back, and she wasn't counting on "those two" to get it done. And so, she tagged along, much to the annoyance of Riku and especially Sora.

_Hmph... We're perfectly capable of doing this on our own_, thought Sora, who's pride had taken a significant blow. He contented himself with mumbling darkly whenever the knife-thrower was out of earshot, knowing that to anger Skyra was to meet your doom.

His brooding thoughts were interrupted when more Heartless suddenly appeared in the clearing, warping in out of nowhere as they sensed the glow of nearby hearts. There were over five dozen this time, and many of them appeared to be a much higher level than the ones that had attacked them before. Among the smaller mushroom Heartless were one's that looked like larger versions of their counterparts, except with toothy, gaping mouths and armored heads. They also happened to be seven feet tall.

More excited jittering rent the air as Sora dropped into his battle stance and summoned his Kingdom Key. Riku did the same as they glanced around the mossy clearing, which suddenly had much less space. The Heartless were not only stronger and more numerous, but they were also smarter; they had trapped the scouting party in a circle.

"Looks like they're back," remarked Riku with a growl of annoyance.

"You act like you've fought them before," said Jim, whipping out his pistol. "What are they?"

Sora Dodge-Rolled to evade one of the creatures, which was rampaging in his direction with a fury. The creepy mushroom Heartless was spinning its legs like the blades of a helicopter, which allowed it to hover through the air in hopes of cutting its enemies apart.

Sora kept going, allowing the momentum of the roll to take him into an aerial twirl as he rose to his feet. As he twisted, he used the Strike Raid ability to send his Keyblade whirling through the air in the direction of the heartless he previously avoided. Sora grinned in satisfaction as a high-pitched squeal met his ears, and he turned around in time to catch his returning Kingdom Key.

"Heartless," he supplied, almost casually. "Don't let them jump on you at once or they'll try to steal your heart."

Jim flashed him a wide-eyed look of utter fear and disbelief. It was very possible that Sora had just freaked him out to the point where he might have nightmares. He let out a nervous breath while raising his gun in both hands.

"Noted..." he said as calmly as possible.

Riku sidestepped as one of the larger Heartless tried to hammer him with its massive armored head. While the thing's metallic cranium was still connected to the ground, Riku took the opportunity to attack its exposed neck before whacking it away. He leapt backwards, landing next to Sora.

"You probably shouldn't have been so blunt, Sora," he reasoned. "He's never seen these things before, remember?"

"Whoops," said Sora with an apologetic chuckle. "Sorry, Jim!"

"N-no problem!" replied Jim as he blasted one of the revolting heartless square in the face, trying to control his panic.

"Less chitchatting, more Heartless-killing!" shouted Skyra over her shoulder, reminding the boys to keep their heads in the game. Sora and Riku watched as she resumed slashing with reverse-gripped knives.

Sora suddenly remembered his encounter with Axxela and Axhon, the two Nobodies who helped them out in Twilight Town. When they had suggested seeing who could destroy the most Heartless, Sora was reminded of how he and Riku used to compete over everything back on Destiny Islands. He turned to the silver-haired teen with a challenging grin.

"Hey, Riku."

"Yeah?"

"Bet'cha I can take out more Heartless than you!"

Riku flashed a wolfish smile down at his brown-haired friend, aquamarine eyes igniting with an old energy that he remembered well. He could feel his fingers tightening around the hilt of his trusty Way to Dawn as he met Sora's fiery gaze.

"You're on!"

* * *

The two friends stood back-to-back with weapons still drawn, mildly out of breath as the remaining Heartless were reduced to fleeting wisps of shadow. Sora and Riku both relaxed as they allowed their respective Keyblades vanish, savoring the victory. Each one had eliminated a considerable number of Heartless during their competitive game, and they both knew it was going to be close.

"Whew," breathed Riku, using the back of his hand to wipe some sweat off his brow. "Not bad, for a workout."

"Yeah, they were nothing," agreed Sora.

"So," said Riku, turning around to face Sora. "How many did you get?"

"Heheh, twenty-five!" stated Sora proudly, pointing his thumb at himself.

"Wow, Sora...," said Riku seriously, smirk falling. "I only got…twenty-_nine_!"

Riku's expression had quickly changed from surprised to taunting as Sora realized that he had lost, and that Riku had been pulling his leg when he pretended to have killed less heartless.

"What? No way, you're lying!"

"Hahaha, looks like you still got a long way to go," teased Riku, who was rubbing the fact that he had won in Sora's face, and enjoying it thoroughly.

Ardeo yawned from Skyra's shoulder as she gazed at the two arguing boys. _Idiots_, she thought; although her expression held a certain amount of amusement.

"Guys, _shhh_!" interrupted Jim, calming Morph with a gesture and pulling out his blaster. Sora and Riku put their quarrel on hold to watch as he crept over to a cluster tube-like fungus, gun at the ready.

Sora eyed the patch of growth warily as Jim inched closer to it. His fingers twitched, instinctively wanting to summon his Keyblade in case whatever Jim had heard was hostile.

Jim soon reached the odd-looking lichens and, holding his musket of polished wood level with his face, peered over them in search of anything strange...

Two Keyblades flashed into existence as their owners caught a glimpse of metal, and something humanoid jumped out directly in front of Jim, screaming like a banshee. Jim, completely startled, instantly fell over backwards with a cry of surprise.

Sora, Riku and Skyra rushed over to the freaked-out Jim as the flailing creature jumped on top of him, waving its thin arms about spastically. It took them all a second to realize that the thing on top of Jim was actually a robot, and it didn't mean him any harm as it started rambling triumphantly in a voice that sounded more human than computer-generated.

"Oh, this is fantastic!" cried the robot with glee. "Carbon-based life forms come to rescue me at last! I just wanna hug ya and squeeze ya and hold you close to me!"

Jim finally got over his shock at the android's sudden appearance, stood up as it began giving him tight bear hugs.

"Alright, okay- would you just let go of me?" exclaimed Jim, finally forcing the robot to let go of him. Now that he was no longer invading Jim's personal space, Sora and the others could finally get a better look at him.

The mechanical man had a thin and lanky frame, standing only slightly shorter than Jim when he wasn't trying to tackle him to the ground. Two devices that looked like compressed telescopes protruded from his head, in which the lenses were replaced with circular screens and many glowing pixels formed his digital green eyes. What was once shiny brass metal had become rusted with age in some areas, and the robot's jaw was made out of metallic plates that were a darker copper than the rest of him. Small gears were attached to his thin elbows and knees, and a large compass was built into his chest.

Sora could tell that this robot definitely had some literal screws loose when he got a glimpse of the back of his head, where several frayed and broken wires stuck out from an exposed piece of circuitry.

The robot immediately latched himself onto the next closest person out of pure joy. Unfortunately for him, that person happened to be Skyra.

The android was so excited that he failed to notice the boiling rage that seemed to be coming off the girl in waves. Sora and Riku took a few steps back when they saw Skyra's knuckles turn milky white from the strain of her clenched fists.

The two friends had been through quite a lot of trouble in the past year or so. Sora would have liked to say that they had always pulled through it together, but the circumstances usually put Riku and himself on separate and sometimes opposing paths. Regardless, they had faced many a foe; swashbuckling pirates, sea witches that were half octopus, evil genies, sorceresses that transformed themselves into dragons of green fire, Nobodies, heartless, heartless, and more heartless. Sora and Riku had learned through great struggles how to fight in their own way. But both agreed that, when dealing with a warrior with a temperament like Skyra's, you are to never, EVER push the wrong buttons. Because when something sets Skyra off, the wisest course of action would be to hightail it out of the blast zone before she explodes.

"Get. Off. Now," she hissed through tight jaws, barely able to restrain herself from punching a hole in the robot's metallic head and ripping out any vital wiring she could get her hands on.

The tension in her voice caused the bronze robot to finally lift his head to look up at her. Though half of her face was hidden by a deep shadow cast by her streaked bangs, Skyra's eyes glinted murderously through the darkness, and for a moment resembled that of a Heartless's.

One could almost see the flames of wrath blazing out from her as the robot jumped out of Skyra's reach with a fearful yelp. He ran and hid behind Jim, pleading that he wouldn't let her kill him. This only made Jim annoyed with him as well.

"Not before I kill you," threatened Jim, turning around and forcing the android to let go of his shoulders.

"Sorry, sorry," he apologized. "It's just that, I-I-I've been marooned for- so long. I...I mean, solitude's fun, don't get me wrong! For heaven's sakes, after a hundred years, YA GO A LITTLE NUTS!"

He gave a slightly hysterical laugh while leaning on Jim's shoulder as if they were old pals. Jim quickly fixed him with an irritated glare, which caused him to back off with more "sorry's".

"So, he's been all alone here?" mumbled Sora, gazing at the surrounding forest. True, the planet seemed abandoned, as the perpetual silence would testify. They still hadn't met any living creatures here, besides the various types of fungi and moss. Why was this planet so deserted, he wondered. His drifting thoughts were brought back when their new acquaintance finally decided to introduce himself.

"I am, um...," he began, suddenly pausing as if he couldn't quite remember. "My name is, uh..."

The robot clutched his head and squeezed his eyes shut, attempting with great difficulty to recall who he was. A few moments passed, during which everyone shared glances that clearly questioned the android's sanity as he continued to search for his name. Morph, who was resting near Jim's shoulder, transformed into a tiny version of the rusted bionic man, making as small spring-loaded bird pop in and out of his head with coo-coo noises. Ardeo laughed mirthfully in his strange chirping voice from his perch on Skyra's right shoulder.

"B.E.N.!" blurted out the robot, causing Ardeo to beat his wings rapidly to make up for lost balance as they all jumped. "Of course! I'm B.E.N. Bio Electronic Navigator," he explained as he pointed to the metallic compass on his chest, which became detached and hung out on a long spring, leaving his inner workings exposed. "Oops!" said B.E.N., pushing the object back into place. "And you are?"

"Sora, Riku, Skyra, Jim," replied Jim, pointing to each person in turn, hoping to keep their little conversation short and sweet; he had more important things to attend to, after all.

"Oh, what a pleasure to meet you Jimmy," responded B.E.N. with a smile, shaking his hand a little too vigorously.

"It's Jim," he corrected, sounding irritated as he freed his arm and began walking away from B.E.N. "Look, I'm kinda in a hurry, okay? We gotta find a place to hide and there's pirates chasing us-"

"Oh pirates!" exclaimed B.E.N. suddenly. "Don't get me started on pirates, I don't like them! I remember Captain Flint," he said reminiscently, thinking aloud. "This guy had such a temper..."

Jim froze mid-step, whirling around to face B.E.N. with an expression of shock.

"Wait, wait, wait, you knew Captain Flint?"

"I think he suffered from mood swings, personally," mused the robot, resting his chin in his hand. "I'm not a therapist in any way, but I- you let me know when I'm rambling!"

"But that means- but then you gotta know...about the treasure?" asked Jim with a hopeful smile, eager hopes of discovering the legendary hoard of riches reflecting in his eyes.

"Treasure...," echoed B.E.N., as if trying to comprehend something distant.

"Yeah," asserted Jim excitedly, bringing up his palms for emphasis. "Flint's trove. You know- the loot of a thousand worlds?"

Sora and Riku shared a glance of excitement Morph turned into a small treasure chest filled with sparkling gold coins. If this navigational android had ties with the infamous Captain Flint himself, they might not even need the map to find the treasure!

"Yeah, B.E.N.," pressed Sora. "Do you think you could help us find it?"

"Well, it's all little-llllle, fuzzy...," explained B.E.N. doubtfully. A brief moment of inner reflection passed before he opened his eyes again, as if finally catching some small strand of a memory long lost in years of isolation. He tried with great effort to articulate the broken bits of information, which sometimes caused him to stutter or make his voice deepen mechanically. "Wait! I, I r-r-r-r-remember... I do, I-TREASURE!" he proclaimed. "Lots of treasure... Buried in the centroid, CENTROID, centroid of the mechanism!"

Sora, along with everyone else watched as B.E.N. continued to spout odd details that seemed completely irrelevant to the subject, all the while becoming slightly more distressed.

"And there was this big door, opening and closing and opening and CLOSING..." As he said this, the round screens on B.E.N.'s eyes switched to an image of a green triangular doorway, opening and sealing itself like a curtain on constant replay; the compass burst in and out of his chest on its spring at every other word. He then composed himself a little so the compass would stop falling out, but he was almost yelling now, as if he was about to touch up on something extremely important.

"-And Captain Flint wanted to make sure that nobody could ever get through to his treasure, so I helped him-" But the robot could go no further down this trail of long forgotten memories, for something within his programming caused white sparks to burst out of his head, accompanied by dangerous sounding sizzling noise. He grasped it tightly as spastic trembles ran through him, trying without success to continue. "AAAAGHH! data inaccessible! REBOOT! REBOOT! REBOOT!" repeated B.E.N., voice becoming oddly more high-pitched with each exclamation.

"B.E.N.!" shouted Jim as he slapped the android, effectively snapping him out of his mental breakdown.

Sora heard Skyra give a small snort of spiteful humor. She probably thought that was the most productive thing Jim had done all day, and that B.E.N. deserved to be slapped for the way he had hugged her earlier.

B.E.N. jolted out of his neurasthenia and blinked at Jim, looking utterly confused. "And you are?" he implored whilst rolling his hands, apparently forgetting Jim's name.

"Wai- wai- wait, what about the treasure?" asked Jim, desperately grasping at any hopes of recovering Flint's lost trove.

"I wanna say Larry..."

"The-the-the centroid, of the mechanism, or..."

"Sorry, my-my memory isn't what it used to be..." apologized B.E.N. "I... lost my mind." He let out a bout of crazed laughter, right eye twitching with a disturbed smile. "Ahahahahaa... I've lost my mind! You haven't found it, have you?" he asked, turning Jim around and searching his clothes for something. Finding nothing but his gun, he turned to Sora and Riku, pointing to the back of his head where the broken wires hung out. "My missing piece? My primary memory circuit?"

They shrugged and shook their heads.

"Look, B.E.N.," interjected Jim, deciding that he didn't have the time to mess around with a lunatic robot if he lacked any information about the treasure. "I really need to find a place to hide, kay? So I'm just gonna be, you know...moving on."

Sora watched B.E.N.'s expression shift from lively to "kicked-puppy" as Jim began to walk in the other direction. The robot's posture visibly sagged in disappointment, head drooping low as he half turned his back to the disappearing Jim.

"Oh, uh...so, well then...I guess...uh...this is goodbye, huh?" said B.E.N. in an uncharacteristically low voice.

Riku stopped after only two steps to see that Sora still hadn't moved an inch away from the deflated robot, who seemed so miserable that it made his heart hurt just to look at him.

"I-I'm sorry that I'm so...dysfunctional..." continued B.E.N., dropping to his knees at the last word.

This caused Jim to look back, raising one eyebrow at the android's somewhat dramatic performance. Skyra, however, kept walking, determined to ignore the pathetic robot, who annoyed her to no end.

"So," said B.E.N., looking back at Jim. "Uh...go ahead. And, I do understand, I do." He hung his head and began slowly rolling away (the gears on his knees and ankles also served as small wheels). "Buh-bye..." he called dejectedly.

Seeing the pleading look in Sora's eyes, it struck Riku suddenly that he could not bear to leave B.E.N. here all by himself. He, Riku, had been well acquainted with loneliness. He knew that aching, terrible yearning that would come time and again, plaguing his thoughts if he allowed his mind to wander for too long. During Sora's last adventure, he had spent most of his time in the shadows. Working behind the scenes. Dropping Sora hints as needed. He could only observe in bitter silence as his friend grew strong enough to take down Organization XIII forever.

Several times, Sora had walked by one of his hiding places, unaware of his presence. On one of those occasions, Riku had almost reached out to him; to finally see him up close again; to let him know he was okay. Almost. But as the light illuminated his gloved hand, he froze, knowing that he could not call out Sora's name. He ignored his heart's desperate pleading and retreated a few steps back into the cover of darkness, shaking his head, reminding himself "no". It took all his strength just to hold himself back. Regret weighed down heavily, draining him of his energy. Riku lifted his hood over his head in shame. No. He could never let Sora see his face... The fact that he had taken on the form of Ansem and the coat he now wore were both proof that his heart was still immersed in darkness. Sora wouldn't even be able to recognize him; he might even attack him... He could not confront Sora unless that changed, so he would remain alone until he felt worthy enough to stand before him.

He remembered that feeling well. He hadn't been physically stranded, like B.E.N.; no, instead it had been his own self-loathing that kept him from having contact with his friend. But the isolation and near-hopelessness of their situations were the same, and B.E.N. had suffered this for a hundred years! Riku didn't care whether or not the robot actually had a heart, he wasn't about to leave him to rust for who knew how much longer!

"C'mon, Jim," he said, quietly enough so that B.E.N. couldn't hear. "B.E.N.'s been here for a century, he probably knows this forest better than anyone. I'll admit he's a little nuts, but what if he knows a good place to hide?"

Sora looked up, a hopeful smile appearing on his face. "Yeah, Jim! Can't he come along? Please?" he asked, as if B.E.N. were some stray puppy they found on their way home.

Upon hearing their pleas, Skyra turned back. "No," she commanded, having no intention of keeping the insane android anywhere near her. "No. He is NOT coming with us! This robot could jeopardize all our lives, not to mention he's completely coo-coo!"

"But we can't just abandon him," stated Sora, resolve burning hotly in his eyes. "It's not right!"

Jim, the leader of the party, looked back and forth indecisively as either side gave more reasons to support their opinion. How he had gotten himself stuck in the middle of this, he had no clue.

Seeing his hesitation, Skyra blanched.

"You are not seriously buying this?" she asked incredulously.

Still unsure, Jim turned to Morph, who had been floating near his left shoulder. The final verdict. The little shape-shifter's decision would be the nail in the coffin for either outcome.

Morph whined softly and Jim gave a heavy sigh. He gazed back at B.E.N., who was still inching away, depressed.

"Look," he said resignedly, loud enough so the robot could hear. "If you're going to come along, your gonna have to STOP talking."

"Huzzah! Ahahahaha!" cried B.E.N., springing into the air in a celebratory fashion. It seemed Jim had just said the magic words. "Oh, this is fantastic!"

Skyra huffed irritably as B.E.N. leapt into Jim's arms Scooby Doo style, looking like he was about to chat up a storm out of happiness. "Me and my best buddy, out looking for a-"

He noticed Jim's expression; as sharp and cold as steel. His voice dropped to a whisper.

"...being quiet," he whispered, zipping his mouth and hugging Jim's face apologetically. Jim, however, didn't find it cute.

"And you _have _to stop _touching _me."

"Touching and talking," recited B.E.N., instantly letting go and backing away a little. "Heheh, two big 'no-no's'!"

"Okay," said Jim, pointing a finger to his left. "Now, I think we should head that w-"

"-Say, listen," interrupted B.E.N. "Before we go out on our big 'search', uh, would you mind if we made a quick pit-stop at my place?" He ran over to some tall stalks of fungus that could easily be mistaken for bamboo and pulled them aside. Bending his knees together like he needed to use the bathroom, he smiled bashfully. "It's kinda urgent..."

They all gazed through the gap in the fungus, which revealed an enormous clearing that looked like it could fit a small castle. Just like the rest of the planet, the ground was blanketed with a layer of pervading green moss, except there were only three or four mushroom trees scattered before a tall structure a few hundred yards away. It was oddly shaped and made of once-shiny brass metal, like something from an ancient civilization. Draped in creeping vines and moss, a large round hole provided entrance into the hollow architecture. It sat perched atop some strange looking ledges, which were placed like a mammoth staircase.

To eyes of an average person, it looked like a mildly interesting ruin. To an archaeologist, it looked like a fascinating remnant of historical significance. But to a couple of stranded travelers being chased by savage pirates, it looked like a blessed sanctuary.

"B.E.N..." said Jim, smiling in awe. "I think you just solved my problem!"

Sora smiled at the odds of the situation. It seemed that B.E.N. had become their lucky charm after all. Thanks to him, they now had a place to stay. He glanced at Skyra hopefully, and she noticed.

"I still don't like him," she groused, arms folded adamantly.

* * *

**Never. Again.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

**Never again will I use the full movie of a world- NEVER! AARGH! It's soooo looong, I've been forced to write it in pieces T-T!**

**I hope you'll all bear with me as this world wraps up. I've got a lot planned for later that I guarantee you'll love!**

**Lol, anyway, my chapters always seem to take forever to come in. I am deeply sorry about this. Mostly, I just blame it on the writer's block, and also the fact that I keep zoning out whenever I attempt to write; so I sometimes only get a few paragraphs done in a day DX! Or maybe that also counts as writer's block...?**

**Whatever. Just know that I'll never quit writing this story until it's done. My persistent nature won' let me, and with the daydreams I've been getting lately about the events that lead up to the ending, I'll be too hyped to just stop!**

**Me: Anyway... I think it's getting so hard to write because of the fact that I'm using a movie as basis for a new world, so it's not 100% creativity. I guess it's just a little boring for me to be practically chronicling the events of a story that already exists, even if I'm adding a few changes. Hopefully, I'll overcome this annoying obstacle once the world ends... I also just recently moved to a new house, and I could not get internet access for quite a while, so blame it on circumstance. DX**

**Noah (walks in)- Hi everyone! Your lives, just got better!**

**Me- (sighs) Since Roxas key6 (A.K.A.: my brother) won't stop bugging me, here he is as promised.**

**Noah- Yep! I think this story rocked when I was in it. But once you took Axhon out, it's awesomeness went neaaaaoooooooooorm-SPLAT!**

**Me- . Narcissistic butthead...**

**(Two Axhon's portal in)**

**Axhon #1- Remember me?**

**Noah- Huh? If you don't mind, I'll be asking the questions around here, copy freak. Who are you?**

**Axhon #1-You.**

**Noah- No, not me, you!**

**Axhon #1-I am you.**

**Noah- Just answer the dang question! Who are you?**

**Axhon #1-I have TOLD you.**

**Noah- Are you deaf?**

**Axhon#1- No, you is blind.**

**Noah- I ain't blind, you blind.**

**Axhon #1- That is what I just said.**

**Noah- You just said what?**

**Axhon #1- I did not say "what", I said "you".**

**Noah- That's what I'm asking!**

**Axhon #1- And you is answering.**

**Noah- SHUT UUUP! You! (looks at the second Axhon)**

**Axhon #1-Yes?**

**Noah-Not you, him! Who are you? (points at Axhon #2).**

**Axhon #2-Me.**

**Noah-Yes you!**

**Axhon #2- I am me.**

**Axhon #1- He is me, and I am you.**

**Noah-And I'm about to whip your butt man, because I am sick of playing games here! You, me, everyone's butt around here! -Him! (points at Axel, who looks surprised) I'm gonna kick your butts, I'm gonna kick it!**

**Me- Jeez man, calm down! I think I know what the explanation to this is.**

**Axel- Good, because I'm just an innocent bystander in all this.**

**Me- Yeah, for once... Anyway. Zexion, you can come out now.**

**Zexion (portals in)- Hmm... How very astute of you to realize this was an illusion.**

**Noah- What the-?**

**Me- Well, yeah. I mean, how else would there be two copies of your Nobody?**

**Zexion (walks over to Axhon #2 and sticks his hand through him)- Indeed. This Axhon was merely a mirage that was fabricated to fool you.**

**Axhon- Yup, I'm the real deal!**

**Noah- Sweet! I am so cool!**

**Axhon- You mean, I am so cool. We're not technically the same person.**

**Noah- Whatever, let's go freak people out!**

**Axhon- Okay! (They both run away)**

**Me (facepalms)- Oh man... Ugh, anyway. If you've seen D. Grey Man abridged series by TehExcorcist (DGreymanTAS) or whatever Eddie Murphy movie that was from, you know what that was all about.**

**Well, see you guys later! Have a good one!**


	11. Waiting for the Dawn

**Chapter 11: Waiting for the Dawn**

**No excuses for the lateness, really. Besides that I was watching Death Note (a totally AMAZING anime series that is a must-see), along with the usual crap. So, yeah...anyway... Here we are! Yay!**

**I've decided to cut out like, two scenes that I originally planned to include since they would have taken forever, which was proven by my last chapter, which was supposed to cover twice as much as it did. Really sorry about that, guys. But on the good side, I enjoyed Skyra's reaction to BEN, didn't you? I'll just call him "BEN" now, instead of "B.E.N.", which drives my spell check system up the wall.**

**Shoutouts to: The Infiniator. Thank you very much for your super-awesome review!**

**Wow...I think I actually managed to keep it short and sweet this time... Well, yay for me! Enjoy the chapter everyone!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

* * *

In the sky above Treasure Planet, the clouds were the color of hot, liquid metal. They drifted formlessly, melting their blinding gold into the soft purple canvas of sunset. The usual daytime glare of a nearby star that served as the planet's sun had died down into a captivating yellow-orange that no longer offended the eyes to look at. The brilliant fireball was almost halfway obscured by the canopy of mushroom trees in the horizon, slowly plummeting out of sight to allow the cool night it's allotted time of supreme dominance.

_Thinking about Twilight Town, Roxas?_

_...Yeah. The sunsets here are a lot alike._ Roxas gave a thoughtful hum that was only audible to Sora. _It's funny how the sky can be so beautiful, even at a time like this... Almost as if to contradict the situation._

Sora shifted his gaze away from the mesmerizing light show to watch Dr. Doppler set Captain Amelia down, using a dome projecting randomly from the metallic floor for support. The severity of her injuries restricted her from just about any kind of movement, so Dr. Doppler had carried her from the crash site all the way to BEN's place. Now, Doppler was by no means a muscle man, but even he had managed to carry her light frame without much difficulty. At least she was still alive and kicking, not hesitating to give orders as needed.

BEN was standing farther back in the room, rambling about how you'd think he would have cleaned up a bit in a hundred years while trying to figure out what to do with an old chess set. After a moment of slight embarrassment and being virtually ignored, he dumped it on the floor.

_I know we're not supposed to interfere with the events of the worlds,_ thought Sora_. But, we can't just leave these guys here either..._

_Yeah,_ agreed Roxas. _I'm sure everyone else is thinking the same thing, too._

Sora chuckled mentally. _You're right. I think even Skyra feels for them._

_Really?_

_Well, she's not complaining about how we're wasting time or anything like that... She probably cares about them a bit, even though she'd rather not admit it, of course._

Skyra was currently standing in front of the large opening, which was built into the side of the structure like the wide mouth of a cave. Not one to be caught off guard, she busied herself with keeping a vigilant eye on the tree line for any probing members of Mr. Silver's crew. Ardeo played cutely with Skyra's hair while nipping occasionally at her ear, begging for her to scratch under his chin. After a moment of trying to ignore him, she finally conceded.

Donald and Goofy were both getting a good look at the inside of the decrepit structure, probably wondering how BEN could call a place like this "home", while Kairi sat next to Captain Amelia in concern.

Sora gazed about the darkening interior of BEN's home, noting that it was entirely made of dull copper metal. It was fairly egg-shaped with a tall ceiling and pipes running along the walls here and there. Cryptic circular markings adorned the smooth interior walls and the floor was covered in- you guessed it- moss. Sora had no idea how moss could grow on metal, but at least it would provide a bit more comfort for Captain Amelia.

Though they were all concerned about the rather large gash in her side, the bleeding seemed to have stopped for the most part, so healing magic shouldn't be necessary. Not that they were in any sort of hurry to expose the arcane nature of their abilities to worlds ignorant of the existence of magic, aside from the summoning of their Keyblades. Having to explain their situation was often difficult, not to mention forbidden, but the locals of the worlds usually accepted them well enough without them having to reveal anything too important.

Jim, the last one inside, climbed over the lip of the large opening just as BEN said something about finding old-fashioned romance touching. As was his habit, it came out slightly louder than necessary and Sora had to refrain from flinching. The robot clanked up to Dr. Doppler and Amelia jovially, offering them two cups of bubbling black oil on a tray. "How about a nice drink for the happy couple?"

"Ooh, uh… Oh, no thank you," replied politely, though obviously repulsed by the revolting black liquid. "We don't drink and, ah, we're not a couple..."

The two gazed at each other fondly for a few moments. Riku, who was leaning against the wall next to Sora, tilted his head sideways without taking his eyes off the scene. "... Yet," he whispered, making Sora chuckle in agreement. There was definitely something going on between the two. Even he couldn't miss that if he tried.

Dr. Doppler, realizing that the silence had stretched on for too long, did what any embarrassed scientist would do: he cleared his throat and changed the subject. "Look at these markings," he pointed out. "They're identical to the ones on the map. I suspect that these are the hieroglyphic remnants of an ancient culture."

"Mr. Hawkins," growled Captain Amelia fiercely, trying vainly to sit up. "Stop anyone who tries to approach-oh..." She grasped her side tightly, eyes squeezing shut in pain.

Dr. Delbert Doppler, who was kneeling down next to Amelia throughout this show of resilience, calmly folded up his maroon coat into a makeshift pillow an placed it under her head. "Yes, yes, now listen to me. Stop giving orders for a few mili-seconds, and lie still," he ordered in a strangely commanding voice.

"Very forceful, Doctor," commented the Captain. "Go on, say something else."

"Hey, look! There's some more of your buddies!" pointed BEN excitedly. Everyone turned to see him suddenly standing on the rim of the building's entrance. Sora had just realized what BEN had ACTUALLY seen when he began waving his arms above his head and hollering at the top of his lungs into the clearing beyond. "HEY FELLAS! WE'RE OVER HERE!"

Jim barely had enough time to pull BEN inside and out of harm's way before the unnatural green of sizzling laser fire flashed about the room. Sora only heard Riku shout "Get down!" as Jim returned fire, using the lip of the opening as a barrier to shield himself with.

As Sora mentally face-palmed at BEN's idiotic mistake, he noticed Skyra charge into him like an infuriated bull, smacking him into the wall and pinning him there with her forearm. Using her free hand, Skyra drew a black and crimson knife from its sheath with a singing hiss, pointing it directly in from of BEN's face. "You metallic MORON! " she growled, lip curled back in a spine-chilling snarl. "Why do you _always _have to draw attention to yourself?"

"N-no, no, I-I'm sorry! I won't do it again, I swear!" pleaded the trembling robot. When Skyra's eyes only blazed hotter, he resorted to desperate flattery as a means of self-preservation. "Heheh... Very nice, very pretty girl, Skyra," he said, stroking her arm tentatively.

Sora couldn't believe it. There was a long-ranged battle being waged between Jim and a dozen or so pirates who were quickly advancing on their position, and Skyra was threatening to kill a helpless robot.

Ardeo, noticing his companion's rage, darted over and touched down on her head, looking at her upside down and waving a scaly claw in front of her field of vision. When this failed to yield any sort of response from Skyra, the tiny reptile scampered down her arm and tugged at her hand in hopes of getting her to remove the knife from the vicinity of BEN's face, but he was simply not strong enough, seeing as Skyra was completely unaffected. Frightened, Ardeo turned his electric violet eyes towards Riku, sending him a mental message of panicked concern.

Skyra's pink streaks flared angrily in the setting sun as her knife slowly drew a line from BEN's face to his chest. Ardeo took off and began flying circles above the girl's head whilst filling the air with his deafening screeches. One might almost forget there were pirates at their doorstep; even Jim took his eyes off the downhill battle to watch the spectacle.

Skyra's eyes glowed demonically with blood rage. "With this knife, I am going to pry open that compass, reach inside, and rip out whatever mechanical guts you still possess, you spineless worm!"

"AGH! Please don't kill me!" screamed BEN, bringing his thin arms up to shield his face.

"A pathetic nuisance like you deserves to die!"

It was then that the others decided to act. What followed was nothing more substantial that a blur as Sora, Riku, Donald and Goofy lunged for Skyra at the very same moment she pulled back her knife hand in preparation to strike. It took all of them together to hold her back from her vicious onslaught, pleads for her to see reason mixing incomprehensibly with her threats and insults as she thrashed wildly.

The rambunctious squall continued even as Kairi stood up, yelling at them to quit fighting.

"Let go of me! I'm gonna kill him!"

"Wait, Skyra. Calm down!"

"Why do these things always happen to _me_?"

Strangely enough, the thing that ended up calming them all down was silence. The last few streaks of venom-green plasma raced into the room with a dazzling flash and then disappeared, leaving the group confused in the sudden peacefulness left in its wake. Skyra finally shifted her attention to her surroundings, rather than BEN, who took the opportunity to get as far away as possible from his almost-murderer. A familiar voice drifted up to them from somewhere outside just as Jim popped another ammo clip into his gun.

"Helooooo up there!" called the jolly, accented voice of Mr. Silver. Jim peeked cautiously through the opening to see someone waving a torn piece of cloth attached to a stick from behind a ledge, signifying peaceful intentions. Mr. Silver then lowered the flag and pulled his bulky form into view, still wearing his one-sleeved brown overcoat and loose white shirt. "Jimbo? If ah, it's alright with the Captain, I'd like a short word wid'cha."

Jim continued to watch Silver carefully as he promised no tricks. Sora slumped down against the wall, wondering what to make of the situation.

Captain Amelia stirred from her position on the floor, instantly expressing her dislike for the turncoat Mr. Silver with a growl, sharp nails digging into the moss irritably. "Come to bargain for the map, doubtless."

She moved too much and Dr. Doppler forced her back down. "Captain..." he said warningly.

"But," thought Donald out loud. "If he wants to trade us something for the map, then..."

"...That means...that he thinks we still have it," finished Jim with a sly grin. He stood up, placing his blaster on the lip of the cave like opening.

"What're you going to do, Jim?" asked Sora.

"Easy. I'll go out there and meet him like I actually have the map. I'll listen to whatever he has to say and try and work something out to our advantage."

Sora scratched the back of his head. "Sounds like a plan, I guess."

"Just be careful!" warned Goofy.

"Yeah, I'm sure he won't try anything," assured Jim as he climbed through the exit.

* * *

While Jim was out making deals with pirates, Sora had decided, partially out of boredom and partially just to lighten the mood, to play Duck Duck Goose. Sora, Riku, BEN, Donald and Goofy all sat in a circle while Kairi took her turn being "it". Skyra kept an eye on Jim's conversation with Mr. Silver while Ardeo switched to Riku's shoulder in order watch the fun.

As Kairi circumscribed the group, Riku wondered how in the world Sora had managed to drag him into playing this ridiculous game. As unusual as it was for a sixteen-year-old to be participating in Duck Duck Goose, he had to admit Sora's lighthearted idea actually DID make him feel a little bit better about being stranded on a long lost planet of legend, whose treasure had yet to actually be seen. When was the last time he'd played it on the islands with Tidus, Wakka and Selphie...?

He was jarred from his thoughts when he sensed Kairi making her way back over to him again. "Duck, duck, d_uuuuuuuuck_...," she repeated as she tapped the heads of Goofy, BEN and then Sora. She paused for dramatic effect over Riku, who tensed, preparing to leap into action.

"...Duck," she tapped his head with a giggle and moved on. Riku put on an "I can't believe I fell for that" kind of look, letting his posture droop once more.

"...Duck, goose!" her target was Goofy.

"I'm'a comin' for ya, Kairi!" he announced as he jumped to his feet and raced after her. She was too fast, however, and managed to reach the empty space before him.

It continued on for a while with everyone cheering on the runner during each rotation; Goofy picking Sora, who tapped Riku, who chose BEN, who then picked Donald. At this point, Donald Duck learned that he was the least skilled at this game, owing to the fact that his legs were so short, everyone he chose was easily able to catch up to him. Unable to find a loophole to get himself out of being "it", the magician became frustrated to the point where he threatened to call forth thunderbolts against the "dirty, rotten cheaters".

They were all in the process of trying to calm him down when Jim returned from his parley with Mr. Silver. Riku was about to ask how it went, but Sora beat him to the punch.

"How'd it go, Jim?"

He sighed at the darkening sky. "Not the way I'd hoped. He tried to get me to make a deal with him, team up and then split the treasure in half."

"He did?" asked Sora eagerly.

"Well, yeah, I mean, I refused, but then he got _really _mad... Said he'd 'blast us to Kingdom Come' if we didn't hand him the map by morning."

"Right, I heard the shouting," confirmed Skyra. She let her hands fall down to her sides. "Well, this is just great. Now what are we going to do?"

"We'll think of something," stated Sora firmly. "We have to."

**~~~~~~~~~ (**a small look into the mind of Skyra**) ~~~~~~~~~~**

* * *

_It was just as Sora said that, on the evening we were stranded on Treasure Planet, that I noticed a change in those eyes of his._

_Looking at them didn't remind me of Havok; his held a certain chaos and, though just as deep, never burned quite as brightly as Sora's. No, it was like another side of him came out, a previously underlying willpower fueled by an adamant sense of righteousness, burning gentle, yet fierce. It said that he was willing to go amazing lengths to protect the one's he cared about, and that he would never back down from adversity because he believed wholeheartedly in the notion that all things work out in the end._

_Taking all this in at a glance, I realized he wasn't just an immature fool swinging a giant key around like the idiot I first took him to be. It seemed the kid had a lot more going for him than I thought... The fact that he could wield such strength and yet be so happy and carefree all the time; it made him a little more special than I had originally opinionated. It made me think that maybe he didn't get this far purely out of dumb luck._

_Hmph... Perhaps I should stop underestimating people._

* * *

"-can't believe I even trusted that old scalawag in the first place," came a bitter voice. Skyra snapped out of her daydream-like state to see Jim leaning against the wall and staring into the dark forest of mushrooms beyond, where the bright yellow glare of a distant campfire could be seen.

Sora looked at the older teen with his compassionate eyes, perhaps understanding that some part of Jim was still hurting from Mr. Silver's actions. He climbed up onto the lip of the opening, leaning with his back against the part that curved upward and putting his hands behind his head. "Well, I didn't expect Mr. Silver to betray us either, Jim," he consented with a sigh. "But you know, I think he might just be a little confused is all."

Jim half turned to him questioningly. "You...really think so?"

Sora shrugged, switching his gaze from the twinkling stars to Jim. "Yup, I guess I do. I spent some time with him, too. And, he did comfort you after the supernova incident, didn't he?"

Jim scratched the back of his head with a small smile. "Well, yeah...I guess he did." His brow furrowed a second later and he dropped his hand.

"... Wait, how'd you know about that?"

"Oh, heheh..." chuckled Sora at his own mistake. "Ah, I just sorta guessed since you were so happy next morning."

Smooth.

"I see..." said Jim, a suspicious smile playing onto his lips. He continued to look at Sora, who tried to hide his guilty smile with a cough. He had just almost exposed the fact that he was spying on Jim that night.

_There he goes again, handing out forgiveness and hope like free candy... _thought Skyra to herself.

_Yeah, Sora's always had a talent for that sort of thing_.

Skyra nearly jumped in surprise as a second voice entered her mind. The invader chuckled at her response, and she recognized it as that of Riku's. _So,_ she said mentally, _you've learned how to use Ardeo as a conduit into my thoughts._

_Yep,_ he responded. And _let me just say, it feels kinda weird in here._

_Watch your step, Keyblader. Enter my mind too often, and that nice long mane of yours might just suffer its first bad hair day._

_My first bad hair day was when Sora spilled honey and baby crabs all over my head, and then I fell through the brambles where a flock of seagulls pecked at my skull. Sorry, but I doubt you could do much worse than that._

_Be that as it may, the mind is not simply a book to be read. It has many layers, and you might find yourself lost it it's complexities. If it sees you as an intruder, it will act as an immune system would to a disease, sending thoughts and raw emotion to attack your mind._

_Ouch. Well, if you don't want me to mess around in here, then I won't. But you also need to promise not to look through other people's memories._

_It pays to know the people around you,_ reasoned Skyra.

_That doesn't make it right._

_... Fine. I won't do it unless it is absolutely necessary, happy now?_

_Very._

Skyra felt Riku's presence leave her mind just as Captain Amelia stirred from her doze. She turned to see that the woman's arm had been wrapped in a sling. From the looks of things, the wound in her side had gotten much worse and seemed to be causing her some serious pain. The Captain had been drifting in and out of sleep for a while now, without much progress. Perhaps a little healing magic might be necessary after all...

Everyone either turned their heads or stood up in concern as she began to speak, quite deliriously, as a matter of fact. "Gentlemen, we must...stay together, and...ungh..." She went silent as Dr. Doppler began to panic.

"What? What?" He lost his cool and took of his monocle. "We must stay together and what?"

Captain Amelia looked up at him dazedly. "Doctor, you have...wonderful eyes..." Her eyelids drooped with a dreamy smile.

Dr. Doppler looked up in horror. "She's lost her mind! **(Ahaha... !One of my favorite lines XD)**

Jim was over there in a flash, followed by Sora. "Y-you gotta help her!"

Delbert Doppler pointed a finger at Jim. "Dangit, Jim! I'm an astronomer, not a doctor! I mean, I am a doctor, but I'm not that kind of doctor! I've got a doctrine; it's not the same thing! You can't help people with a doctrine, you just sit there and you're USELESS!"

The astrophysicist dropped his head into his hands out of stress-induced frustration. Jim walked over to the dog-man and placed his hands on his shoulders reassuringly, telling him it was okay. "It's not your fault," supported Kairi, who was sitting on the other side of Captain Amelia.

"Yeah, Doc.!" agreed BEN. "Jim knows exactly how to get out of this, it's-Jimmy just has this knowledge of things." The robot walked quietly up to Jim, who was now leaning out the opening in the far wall. "Jim," he whispered. "Any thoughts?"

Jim turned his eyes to the RLS Legacy looming miles overhead, it's form nothing more than a dark silhouette against the soft glow of the planet's distant green ring. "Without the map, we're dead." He gazed at the forest where the pirates were camping out, "If we try to leave, we're dead." Jim turned away from the opening, eyes moving back and forth restlessly as his brain calculated possible escape plans, desperately searching for anything that would work. "If we stay here..."

Morph finished the sentence, mimicking Jim in a squeaky voice, "We're dead! We're dead, we're dead, we're dead!" Morph's cheerful little smile changed into a frown as he chirped concernedly at Jim, who leaned out the hole in the wall heavily. The sheer hopelessness of their predicament was beginning to get to him.

Sora looked at Riku, who was leaning up against the wall, also contemplating the situation. "You got anything, Riku?" he asked hopefully.

Riku sighed, standing up straight. "Nope. I'm in the same boat Jim's in, Sora."

Sora frowned at their lack of usable options. It was just as Jim had said; no matter what they chose to do, the probability of casualties was high. And- even if they managed to elude the pirates that had cornered them- where would they go then? Into the endless jungle of overgrown fungus? And how long would it be after that until the moral of the group sank so low that its members either gave up or cracked into insanity?

As long as the Legacy remained in the hands of the traitorous crew, there was no way off this forsaken planet, and no way to move forward in their mission to find Arcadia. They were truly stuck between a rock and a hard place.

BEN, who had noticed Jim starting to feel down about their certain doom, whispered to Morph, "Well, I think Jim could use a little 'quiet time', heheh... So, I'll just slip out the back door."

Jim's eyes caught fire. "Back door?"

And just like that, everything changed in the mind of Jim. The wheels in his head, which were once suspended by the weight of near-hopelessness, suddenly sparked into action again; turning and grinding as Jim sought a solution at light speed. Sometimes, there is a simple way to solve any problem: for one or more small factors- which were previously overlooked or thought to be impossible- to change.

Jim rushed over to BEN, who was on the side of the circular room farthest from the opening. Sora, Kairi, Riku, Donald and Goofy all ran over to their location as the copper robot manually rotated a large dome fixed into the floor until it's underside revealed a hidden circular opening. An artificial bluish-white light filtered in from the hole in the dome.

"Yeah," grunted BEN in response to Jim's question. "I get this delightful breeze through here." Everyone stared down in awe as BEN began rambling about the importance of ventilation among friends. Beyond the large circular hole was what could only have been the most amazing engineer's feat of the century.

Vast pipes and interconnecting wires twisted vertically down a narrow chasm, from which resonated the piercing white glow that covered everything in a glossy shine. A horizontal catwalk made of metal grating ran directly underneath the opening below them, allowing for the manual access of whatever lie hidden in this seemingly endless maze of machinery.

"Whoa..." was all Sora could respond with.

"What is this stuff...?" asked Jim in awe.

"What? The miles and miles of machinery that run through the entire course of the inside of this planet?" asked BEN with a loud voice. "Not a clue."

This new revelation had made Jim very excited. He had already come up with a plan. "Hey, Doc! Doc, I think I found a way outta here!"

"No, Jim, wait! The captain told us to stay toge-"

"I'll be back!" shouted Jim over his shoulder, right before he swung his legs over the secret hatch and dropped onto the walkway below. BEN jumped in after him , yelling, "Cannonball!"

Dr. Doppler still had his arm outstretched.

He dropped it with an "and then he ignores me" kind of face. "Woof."

"Don't worry, Doc." assured Riku. "We'll make sure they come back in one piece."

"Yeah," agreed Sora. "Me'n Riku will be back soon!"

Kairi watched as Riku scaled the heavy metal dome. "You're going with them?"

Sora nodded his head. "Yeah. You guys take care of the Captain while we're gone, okay?"

"Alright, just be careful, Sora."

"Hey, no worries, Kairi," said Riku nonchalantly from atop the dome. "What's the worst that could happen?"

Sora snickered at him. "Hey Riku, isn't that the same thing you said before you fell out of that tree?"

Said boy narrowed his eyes at his friend. "Yeah, and this is the part where you shut up, Sora." Riku then gave a two-fingered mock salute and dropped into the circular hole below. They heard him land on the metal grating not a second later.

"Alright, see ya later, guys!" Sora waved to Donald and Goofy as he leapt onto the dome. They waved back at him and called out their farewells, and he dropped through the secret entrance in much the same fashion as Riku.

A moment later, after Sora's echoing footsteps died down in the distance, Kairi was surprised to realize that Skyra had not said anything nor even lifted a finger to accompany the boys on their mission.

"Skyra?" she asked the girl in confusion. "I'm surprised that you didn't go with them."

Skyra glanced at her briefly before turning her gaze once more to the forest outside. "I am perfectly content with staying here, so long as that annoying robot isn't around. He'd better not try to hug me again...for his safety, of course."

Kairi chuckled nervously at Skyra's dangerous smirk.

She then looked at Dr. Doppler as he continued to keep an eye on Amelia, but he was too distracted to hear anything of their conversation. "The Captain doesn't seem to be doing very well, huh?"

Skyra rubbed the back of Ardeo's ears absentmindedly without taking her sights off the dark nighttime landscape. "Yes, I was thinking about having Ardeo work some of his healing magic on her... We can't have the Captain losing all her marbles now, can we?"

The little green dragon chirped appreciatively from his companion's shoulder, nipping her ear and scampering to her upheld hand where he swished his tail playfully and gave Skyra his full attention.

"Ardeo," she said, quietly but firmly. "Get over there and look cute. Cuddle up to her or something, but don't heal her completely; it has to be subtle. Understand?"

Ardeo spun himself in rapid circles, chirping his agreement excitedly before taking wing and zooming towards where the sleeping Captain lay.

* * *

_In a room far away:_

He hung there, suspended in the silence that enveloped the room like a blanket of snow; cold and thick.

The magical chains holding him in place by his wrists and ankles gleamed dully in the pathetic shaft of light wafting down from a break in the ceiling above. Apparently, the dominant darkness thought this lone resistance too insignificant to bother with; it only seemed to make the shadows deeper. In this weak strand of light, small particles of dust danced like a flurry of snowflakes, drifting aloft on tiny eddies of air movement.

The pale beam fell onto the figure's bowed head, illuminating the top of his pure white hair and creating a barely visible silhouette. The man's clothes were impossible to make out through the thick cloak of darkness. This room was often nearly completely dark, though at certain times of the day this flicker of hope, however small, would visit him as it had now.

The figure remained quite inert; however, he was not sleeping, but silently contemplating his situation. The subject weighing most heavily on his mind was the man currently holding him prisoner. How had he found him? It was impossible for outsiders like him to track his whereabouts, let alone _catch _him. And yet, now that he had been bound- an outrageous sin to his kind- why had he not been questioned?

This confused him most of all. If somehow this man who called himself Xemnas learned of him, surely he was after what he thought he was? Furthermore, what was the point of his capture if he was to do nothing but hang here like some sick man's version of a wall ornament?

He shifted uncomfortably, pulling himself up a little to stretch his stiff neck and arms. The joints cracked loudly from lack of movement as he finally altered their positions. The chains clinked softly with his movements, sinister veins of violet light running down the dark metal links. He was careful not to disturb them too much; he had learned quickly that struggling against their hold held very dire consequences.

* * *

Through the fog of his subconscious mind, he was suddenly aware of himself. Just that and nothing more. His mind was suspended on that one thought: that he existed. Everything else was tranquil and blank.

But then a sound drifted to him; a voice, smooth and deep invaded the silence, invoking his vague curiosity. All of the sudden, he felt himself falling; crossing the threshold of sleep and awakening against his will. The sensation lasted not even for a second and then his brain registered the presence of his arms and legs. He then remembered his name. Random thoughts and words appeared before his mind, among them, memories; and other things that were tangled and meaningless. They lingered a moment and then he dismissed them.

A pounding in his head caused him to groan softly in pain. His eyes fluttered open. Standing before him, at about waist height, was a hooded man. He boasted an impressive build, lean and tall, giving off the appearance that he was capable of extreme agility and power. He was dark and sinister looking, and wore a white cloak with strange jet black markings. Though his identity was concealed by his hood, something about this man put him on edge, but he couldn't quite place what it was.

The man said something, but the words were lost to his fuzzy mind for he was still not quite awake.

"Where am I...?" asked the figure, his voice just above a whisper. For some reason, he did not remember.

"You need only know that I am now your superior." came the hooded man's reply. "Concerning yourself with anything else is a fruitless endeavor."

The voice was cold, indifferent.

A bad feeling rose in his stomach, bringing him fully back to his senses. Something was wrong here, but what? He glanced up and instantly realized what it was.

He was in shackled in chains.

That explained why the mysterious man only came up to his shoulders: he was suspended in midair.

Fear and panic began welling up inside him. He didn't remember how he got here or who this man was.

"What 's going on? Who are you and why am I restrained?" he asked, trying to contain his growing anxiety.

The dark man chuckled to himself. He waited a few tense moments and then- ever so slowly- removed his hood. The man's features were smooth and quite handsome. Silvery strands of hair fell away from his face like a mane, coming almost halfway down his back. His face was tanned and part of his lip was curled in the beginnings of a small, dangerous smile. The worst part, however, were his eyes. Glinting a golden yellow, they peered at him with unnerving intensity, deep into his being: the soulless eyes of a Nobody.

The prisoner's eyes widened and he gasped. He recognized the man now. This was impossible. He couldn't be alive; it was wrong, it was all so terribly wrong! Shock turned to fear. This was an abomination; Xemnas should not have been brought back! It was just so wrong!

"No...!"

The figure kicked and writhed, desperately trying to free himself. He beat his mighty wings in a vain attempt to fly away, creating great gusts of wind that made Xemnas's cloak whip around. But the Nobody paid it no heed, simply gazing up at the flailing young man. He would soon be silenced.

Purple veins appeared on the chains, glowing brighter as they sensed resistance. They hummed to life and vibrated slightly, but the winged figure did not notice in his struggling. Where the chains were attached to the wall, something clicked and an unnatural electrical current was unleashed through them.

The man immediately squeezed his eyes shut and his jaw became tight; quickly cutting off his surprised cry as he experienced the electricity's painful path through him. He endured the sensation as best he could, not wanting to show weakness. The dark room lit with the bright purple flash.

Finally, after a brief moment, it ended. He took a minute to calm his breathing and shook his head a little, trying to clear it.

"I thought ahead of time to modify these chains should you think about escaping, so you are more than welcome to try. However, as you can plainly see, resistance is a waste of your precious energy and time," pointed out Xemnas.

He could hear the self-satisfied smile in his voice, and he hated it.

"You fool!" the figure growled. "Don't you know what you've done just be being here?"

Xemnas only smirked knowingly.

"If Vexen were still alive, he would have jumped at the chance to pick you apart and see how you work..." said Xemnas thoughtfully.

The man in chains met Xemnas eye to eye, giving off a false sense of level-headedness. He ignored his panicked nerves, which, in reality, were eating at his insides; instead asking his question as placidly as he could make it.

"What is it that you want, Xemnas?"

"Oh? I would think that you of all people should know precisely what it is I require," said Xemnas with look of mild interest. "Then again, that is merely scratching the surface of something so much grander... But like I said before, that is nothing you need to concern yourself with.

"Tell me," he continued. "How does it feel; knowing that the unstoppable has begun while you remain here, trapped and rendered incapable of deterring it? That you have been caught and are at my mercy? That you are helpless to save the ones you love and there is _nothing _you can do about it?"

Xemnas's words seemed to have hit home. The winged prisoner could feel the anger building up in him. The fragile barrier he had built around his emotions shattered and he lost his nerve. With a blind fury he fought his bonds again, but this time with the intent of attacking his captor.

He yanked at the chains and thrashed even more violently than before. He knew it wasn't like him to lose control like this, but beyond the feelings of anger and injustice was fear. This was all a nightmare that he wanted desperately to wake up from, and so he vented it all on the man before him.

His rage-filled face came within a foot of Xemnas's, but no further. The cloaked man did not even flinch.

Another click and the evil chains shocked him again, but this time it was amplified tenfold. His back arched and he screamed in agony, he could not stop himself this time. The excruciating pain surged through him in one continuous wave as the electricity kept coming. He was unable to move, his whole body convulsed in such a tight position that he thought his tendons were going to snap from the strain. The violet light reflected eerily off Xemnas's face. It came still, much longer than last time-

Finally, mercifully, it ended.

His eyes opened wide, then dulled and crossed, closing halfway as his body went limp and he hung low once more. His breathing was hard and ragged; it took him much longer to calm it this time. He let himself hang, hating his weakness but making no further effort to resist. The sinister electrocution had stolen all his energy, and he was overcome with a feebleness that threatened to put him under.

He groaned weakly, admitting with shame that he had been beaten.

"Painful, isn't it?" asked Xemnas, as if questioning him for his personal opinion on his handiwork. He walked slowly around him in a circle, observing the effects the electricity had on his prisoner. "Perhaps now you will understand the full scope of your situation," he continued, sounding bored. "In spite of your _aching _pride, you would be wise to accept that you are now under my control, and my terms."

The figure tried opening his eyes, but his vision went double. Everything spun dizzyingly and hurt to look at, so he shut them once more.

"I simply require you to stay put, nothing more. Despite your position, you still have a choice. Cooperate, and no further harm will befall you. However," added Xemnas in a darker tone, stopping in front of the winged man once more and fixing him with a stare. "Should you decide to cross me, you will face _much _worse than these chains."

The words took longer to register, for his mind had become a scrambled mess. Xemnas turned and strode away.

"Farewell for now, and have a pleasant rest," he said in a falsely sweet voice. "I have much planned for you in the future."

The prisoner's eyes remained closed, wanting nothing more than a respite from the lingering pain that the chains had inflicted upon him. The darkness closing in around his mind rendered him incapable of abstaining from its call to a peaceful slumber. He really didn't even try; sleep was so tempting. He let it take him, welcoming it like a friend, even though he knew he shouldn't.

* * *

The memory was still fresh in his mind. That had been the first time he had woken up here, in this dilapidated prison. The stone walls were cracked and worn in this area, and dust was abundant.

A small moth fluttered from within the darkness, attracted by the light source above. The figure finally opened his eyes to watch it, or, rather, _sense _it.

The insect flitted erratically about his right arm and then behind his head. He lifted his gaze to witness its path to freedom.

Instead of making him feel worse, the little creature's escape had actually lifted his spirits some. Here, in this place where hope was extremely rare, any small victory was a huge comfort to him.

True, he was blind and did not actually see the moth. However, it wasn't the moth's form he saw, but it's aura.

Aura: the life-force emanating from all things. He had been taught all that was known about it since birth. It sustains all creatures, allowing itself to be borrowed for a time, but always returned in the end. It goes by several names; aura, essence, life-energy, he had even heard it called the "Force" once; but they were all one and the same.

Of all the things he could do, sensing aura in this way was unique only to him. When he looked at the moth, he really saw a glowing blue-white version of it. It left ghostlike afterimage with each movement; small waves of energy pulsed through its body, and at the same time radiated from it. In the same way, he could also "see" the guards posted on the other side of that door, and the roof above.

Their aura was dim and varying shades of dark purple: less pure, corrupted with evil. The assassins killed others of their kind just to hear their pockets jingle with coins when they walked! There was no greater sin in his mind. Well, he thought, with the exception of Xemnas.

Killing for fun or profit was one thing, but raising people from the dead, especially Xemnas... It was wrong. When someone dies, their aura moves on to be recycled once more into the Heart, and their soul departs to another plane of being. Bringing them back is stealing, and desperately holding on to this existence and doing anything to avoid death was cowardly. It is natural to fear death and the unknown, but those who have achieved Balance within themselves can learn to accept it as just another adventure.

But besides that, resurrection was no simple feat. It made no sense how he could have returned, and it scared him.

The "heroes" Xemnas had mentioned earlier undoubtedly referred to Sora, the Chosen Keyblade Wielder, as well as his friends.

He wondered what Xemnas had in store for them, and also where they were at the time...

He frowned.

They were being dragged into something they did not truly understand. This was so much bigger than anything they had ever faced before, and he wasn't sure they could handle it. Were they even ready for something like this?

He hoped so. There was something going on here, something deeper, indefinable.

There was only one explanation.

The Balance must be unstable. Something deep inside of him, the part that made him what he was told him that. He had to set things straight, had to get to the bottom of this. This was all wrong and it must be stopped!

But first, he had to escape.

He flexed his great wings, watching as they reached their fullest extent. He vowed to find some way to get out of this place, no matter what. Somehow, he told himself, he would escape. He had a duty to fulfill, and he was bound to it by honor. So, for now, he would conserve his strength; and wait for his opportunity.

* * *

**A note on Xemnas's behavior: I know that he seemed to have displayed some subtle forms of emotion, but I think he may just be feigning it to get to the winged man. Or he's just being evil for evil's sake...**

**But, yeah! You finally got to see more of Xemnas's prisoner! Sorry, but his identity yet remains a secret. I'm hoping that I did good on that scene...**

**Lol, yes, our heroes were playing Duck Duck Goose on Treasure Planet! I thought it'd be funny, and quite frankly I'm just weird like that.**

**Once again, some of these scenes and dialogue did not actually happen in the movie. I created them in order to help explain things or connect different scenes together, since movies like to skip around sometimes.**

**Me: Hopefully, the gang getting stuck on Treasure Planet for another chapter hasn't bored you too much. That's why I added the last scene in there to keep you all interested. They should get off world in the next one or two chapters!**

**But seriously, guys. One review? Only one? You guys are killing me here! The last chapter had the most hits and views so far, so I know you were reading it! Not to complain, but I LIVE on those things! I swear, I'll go into withdrawal or something if-**

**(Axel, Demyx and Zexion all burst through the door like lunatics, weapons out)**

**Axel: We've got a problem here!**

**Me: (stops ranting and looks at them like they're crazy) What is it now? I was just lecturing the readers on the **_**importance**_** of reviews!**

**Axel: Trust me, this is way more urgent.**

**Demyx: Yeah! We were just playing Blackjack with Luxord when this **_**thing **_**came out of nowhere and attacked us!**

**Me: Huh? What thing?**

**Zexion: Here it comes now!**

**(Suddenly, a giant monstrous Titan made of cinderblocks crashes in through the wall, holding Luxord in one hand.)**

**WROooooaaaAARR!**

**What the-? What IS that thing?**

**Zexion: I think it may be the physical rendering of your writer's block.**

**Luxord: Would you be so kind as to get me DOWN from here?**

**Me: My writer's block looks like Cinderblock from Teen Titans? You have got to be kidding me!**

**Luxord: Helloooooooo?**

**Me: Urgh...! We're gonna need a little extra help here. Hey, Axxela! Get your butt in here!**

**(Axxela portals in)**

**Axxela: Wow, you'd think that I'd talk to myself a little more politely... What is it now... -Oh crap.**

**Axel: Exactly. Our attacks are barely doing any damage and Luxord is in trouble!**

**(Axxela dodges a flying table)**

**Axxela: Ahh! Hey, Luxord! Can't you just Time Warp yourself outta there?**

**(Luxord is being smashed repetitively against the wall)**

**Luxord: IT'S HARD*smash*...TO *smash*...CONCENTRATE *smash*...WHEN HE'S*smash*...TRYING TO *smash*...FLATTEN ME!**

**(The wall finally breaks and Luxord is covered in rubble)**

**Luxord: Uungh... Bloody hell...**

**Me: Holy fudge! Okay guys, (turns to audience) If you all hurry up and review, my writer's block will get weaker! Do it quickly if you want to save Luxord!**

**(Cinderblock crushes my flat screen TV)**

**Me: (blinks) Oh, you are SO gonna pay for that!**


	12. Ambush

**Chapter 12 **

**Hi everyone, and welcome back to the best (and only) story I actually own!**

**It kills me sometimes how long it takes me to write this... And to think I originally intended to update weekly! Ha! Yeah right! Sorry guys, but that's the way the cookie crumbles.**

**...Mmmmm... Cookies...**

**(Axel waves his hand in front of my face)**

**Axel: Hey! Are you in Lala land or something? Wake up; we can't afford to let our guard down around this thing!**

**(Cinderblock is swatting at some strange looking illusions)**

**WRRRROOooooooAAAAaaRRRRR!**

**Axel: Keep 'em busy, Zexion!**

**Me: Hm? (Looks around) Hey, I had a dog named Lala once! (we didn't name her, of course) She was SO beautiful, but she was stupid as anything. I swear she would stare at the ceiling and just wag her tail while barking and whining- and there wasn't even anything up there! So we'd get my DS screen, reflect some light up there and make her run in circles! She was basically the dog equivalent of a stereotypical blonde (no offense).**

**Axel: Are you always this distracted, or is there something in the water that's making you ditsy?**

**Me: I am NOT ditsy, I'm forgetful! Also, I usually drink bottled water.**

**Axel: Whatever, if you insist. Anyway, if you've **_**forgotten **_**the reason why we're hiding behind this overturned table, it because there's a giant monster over there that **_**WANTS TO EAT US!**_** Didn't you say those reviews were supposed to weaken it or something?**

**Me: Yeah, I think so...**

**Axel: You **_**think **_**so?**

**Me: Oh, would you just chill?**

**(Axel's eye twitches)**

**...**

**Me: Hey, there they are now! (points)**

**(glowing multicolored words appear in midair and begin attacking Cinderblock)**

**Me: Hey, that one's from Bond Of Flames08! And there's DaniPotterLovesGod, and The Infiniator, and the Lexicon of Zexion!**

**(letters rearrange themselves into the word "Missile" and then shoot themselves at Cinderblock. Brilliant explosions sound from the point of impact and the giant creature backs up in defense)**

**WRROooooaarr...**

**Zexion: It's working.**

**Me: Haha! Who says words aren't powerful?**

**(Axxela and Demyx come through a portal)**

**Axxela: The Calvary has arrived!**

**Demyx: ATTAAAACK!**

**(All Kingdom Hearts Characters rush through the portal at the same time, including Axhon, Skyra and Ardeo. Cinderblock is mercilessly pounded with magic, steel, claws and bullets!)**

**GRrrrooarrrrr...*CRASH* (falls over and doesn't move)**

**Me: Yeah! Time to play the Final Fantasy victory music! (pushes button on stereo)**

**~~~~Dun dun da dun dun dun, dun da daaaaaa!~~~~**

**(everyone strikes a pose)**

**Me: Now that that's out of the way, go read the chapter!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

* * *

Far below the shimmering ionic particles of Treasure Planet's green ring, the cool darkness of the night was broken only by the warm flickering of the pirate's campfire. It crackled and spit out small showers of glowing sparks, the only sounds that could be heard save for the soft snoring of the sleeping crew. They lay scattered about the small clearing, either slumped up against the trunk of a mushroom tree or just on the moss-ridden ground.

In a position that allowed him to survey the entire group, Mr. Silver sat propped against one of those trees with his hat falling down over his eyes. His powerful bionic arm rested on his large round gut, rising and falling with the man's slow, steady breathing.

A few paces away, what seemed like an ordinary large rock was lifted and pushed aside like a secret trapdoor. A mop of clean-cut hair and a pair of wary eyes peeked out to survey the area, and then Jim raised his head completely from the hole in the ground.

BEN suddenly stood up behind him, unaware of where they were. "SO WHAT'S THE PLAN?" he shouted.

Jim instantly slapped his hand over the robot's mouth with a loud, "Shhhhh!" He glanced around for any signs of movement, but all seemed quiet. Mr. Silver snored a little, oblivious to their presence.

Sora's voice drifted up from the hidden tunnel below. "Is it clear, Jim?"

"...Yeah." he whispered back. Both Sora and Riku rose to their full height in the small round exit they were all standing in. This narrow crawlspace lead to a much larger tunnel which branched off in as many different directions a the roots of a tree, allowing them access to virtually any part of Treasure Planet's surface.

"Okay, here it is." conveyed Jim in a hushed voice. "We sneak back onto the Legacy, disable the laser cannons, and bring back the map."

BEN nodded in agreement, trying to speak as clearly as possible with Jim's hand still clamped over his metallic jaw. "Thurt's a gudd plan, I lirk thurt plan. The urnly thing I'm wurndring is...how do we girt there?"

Jim released the robot's mouth and pointed off to the side of the gang of pirates, almost directly above the campfire. "On that."

Three pairs of eyes followed his finger to see the Legacy's last longboat hovering about six feet above the ground. A heavy anchor tied around one of the mushroom trees kept it from straying anywhere while no one was looking. A perfect target for hi-jacking.

The longboat's engines hummed quietly as Jim maneuvered it undetected through the deep blue-black sky. Sora turned his gaze from the disappearing earth below to the twinkling galaxy of stars above. Since there was no pollution on the uninhabited Treasure Planet, its atmosphere gave an unimpaired view of the constellations and nebulas beyond... Though a truly marvelous scene, Sora finally managed to drag his eyes away when a dark shape loomed nearer.

They were approaching the Legacy.

After the small group ascended until they were nearly level with the deck, Jim peeked over the banister in search of any guards that might have been posted on the ship. Seeing none, he motioned for the others to climb aboard and pushed himself up. Just when he thought he was going to touch the wood without a sound, BEN lost his balance and fell with a yelp and a jolting CLANG!

"BEN!" whispered Sora, Jim and Riku harshly.

"Sorry! Sorry..." he whispered back. Riku rolled his eyes and shook his head slightly before hoisting himself onto the banister.

The white sheets of solar sails undulated in the steady breeze, almost as if they were waving the group a quiet, gentle welcome. Sora's eyes traced the dark cables and ropes spiderwebbing themselves from the masts and the crow's nest, feeling the eerie shadows of the unlit ship play tricks on his eyes. Quickly, they followed the older teen towards the stairs leading deeper into the Legacy, mimicking his carefully silent footsteps.

Jim descended the short staircase and pressed his back up against the wall to peer around the corner immediately after. The hallway he was scanning ran perpendicular to them, making a T-shaped junction with the entrance in which they were standing. The floor was of metal grating and the walls glowed with an orange-yellow light being projected from below the floor. It illuminated rows of wooden boxes and barrels, as well as pipes and switches protruding from the walls. But no enemies to be seen.

"Okay BEN," Jim said without taking his eyes off the hallway to the right, "I'll get the map, you wait here"

But BEN wouldn't hear any of it. "Got it, Jimmy! I'll neutralize laser cannons, sir!" saluted the robot. Jim turned around and reached towards BEN to try and stop him, but the android was already off before he could say anything, rolling along on the wheels on his knees and singing, "Yo-ho, yo-ho, a pirate's life for me!"

Jim rubbed his face, exasperated at BEN's ignorance.

"I'll go look after him." sighed Riku, holding up one hand voluntarily. Jim nodded his thanks and motioned for Sora to follow him in the opposite direction.

Riku switched into a light jog to keep pace with the humming robot. His aquamarine eyes roved back and forth, scanning the boxes, pipes and air pressure gauges as they passed. He followed along for a few seconds, turning right at a corner which would take them down the length of the Legacy's interior. He eventually slowed to a stop as BEN turned into an open doorway.

Even though they had not come across a single soul on the Legacy, Riku always felt the need to inspect each passing room or shadowy niche for any sign of a concealed foe, even sometimes looking behind his back in case of a stalking threat. He wondered if Sora was feeling the same way, or if he'd make fun of him now for acting so dang paranoid. Heh... Probably.

Still, better safe than sorry. Pausing to check the area one more time just in case, he stepped into the doorframe.

The room inside was almost totally dark, with only the light creeping in from the hallway to dimly illuminate the floor and a metal box attached to the wall like a circuit breaker. "Disable a few laser cannons, what is the big deal?" muttered BEN as if Jim had told him the job would be too difficult.

He shifted the gears on his thin legs, standing up straight once more so he could reach the box. "All we gotta do is find that one little wire and-" he froze as he opened the hatch, revealing a mind-boggling array of multicolored wires weaving through, over and around each other in a tangled maze that brought the mere thought of simplicity to its knees.

-"Oh mama." he whined.

* * *

"Alright, here's the docking bay..."

Sora skidded to a halt behind Jim as they approached the door at the end of the long hallway. Eyeing the metal locking mechanism, he noticed how damaged it looked from being forced open after Captain Amelia had superheated the gears during their flight from the Legacy. It hung half open, yielding entry to the nearly pitch black room on the other side.

"You sure you remember where it is, Jim?" asked Sora as he followed him through the threshold.

"Yeah," answered Jim confidently, "It should still be in the pile of rope..."

Sora waited by the door as Jim carefully picked his way through the darkness, acting as a lookout and keeping his eyes trained on the hallway beyond for any sign of movement. On the other side of the room, Jim had just knelt down to reach into the coil of thick twine. His heart leaped as he felt his fingers wrap around the cold metal orb, and he brought the unremarkable yet marvelous object up to his face so he could see it.

James Hawkins let out a relieved breath. For a moment there, he thought he was going to reach in there to find that it was empty. "Gotcha." he said to himself.

But Jim's troubles were far from over.

Just then, the blaring sound of an alarm assaulted his ears, accompanied by the brilliant flashing of blood-red lights. His muscles locked up, thinking that he had fallen into some sort of trap. Then he remembered that it was probably something much worse.

"What's happening?" asked Sora in alarm as the older boy rushed past him back into the hallway.

Jim's eyes were filled with both anxiety and a flash of anger. "BEN," he growled. "That stupid robot's gonna get us all-"

He froze, eyes growing wide and breath catching in his chest as he stood in front of the staircase leading back up to the deck.

In a weak whisper,"...killed..."

He was staring up at a dark form poised at the top of the stairs, whose hunched upper body blocked the open wooden frame. A creature that he had mutually despised ever since meeting him. Something with shiny black armor, eight legs and deadly killer claws. Something with piercing yellow eyes.

Someone named Scroop.

Sora's heart dropped into his shoes as the gleaming crystal eyes locked onto their prey, and the creature snapped one of his vice-like claws in a murderously gleeful clack. His dangerous, hissing growl was enough to make both their veins runs cold with ice.

"Cabin boy..."

* * *

Skyra's walnut brown eyes scanned the sprawling midnight landscape with bored alertness, searching the sloping ledges and overgrown jungle for any signs of movement. She stood outside the strange oval shaped building that served as their base camp, experiencing the soothing caress of the breeze through her dark hair. Having nothing better to focus on, her mind wandered on random topics, flipping through memories whenever they were related. As pressing as her concerns may have been for escaping this wondrous yet wretched planet alive, she found a comfort in the cool silence of night, the slight drowsiness allowing her to set aside her worries for the moment and just focus on the task at hand.

Although it would be better if there were at least crickets chirping here, but even now the planet continued to seem completely devoid of any life forms besides the omnipresent moss and fungus that gathered wherever one looked...

The faint sound of leathery wings stroking the air greeted her ears, the only giveaway of the dragon's presence as he stealthily glided up to her shoulder. Ardeo gave a small chirp as Skyra turned her head to him, his task done. "Good," she said, rewarding the reptile with a good back scratching- something he always appreciated. "Thank you, my friend."

She inclined her heads towards him and he nudged her endearingly, as if saying, "You're welcome" before settling down along the length of her shoulder, letting his paws hang down past her collar bone while his head rested against the rise of her neck. Small snoring noises were heard soon after as her companion drifted into a light doze. Skyra smirked at his cute little breaths while trying not to shift too suddenly.

Several minutes passed as she listened to the steady stream of air being expelled from his lungs, resonating with her longer, deeper breaths and the calmness that surrounded them. The utter peacefulness was almost hypnotizing, like it was lulling her into a serene trance even as her sharp eyes scrutinized the area.

She would have liked it to go on longer, but Ardeo suddenly stirred, almost with a jolt on her shoulder. Wondering what could have dragged him from his carefree slumber, Skyra turned her head to see what was wrong. "What is it, Ardeo?"

The small creature climbed onto her hands as she cupped them in front of her. Ardeo swished his slender tail back and forth in agitation, casting worried glances at the dark form of the Legacy on the sky. Was he...trying to tell her something? Skyra opened their mental connection easily, and was met with faint feelings of distress, not from Ardeo, but from another source. "Riku..." she murmured thoughtfully.

What on earth was going on? Curious, she tried reaching him, but the distance between them was too great for Ardeo to broadcast her thoughts. _What's happening over there...? _

Ardeo whined throatily as he casted his gaze directly at her, his eyes seeming to gather the starlight from above, bending it and throwing it back out violet. She gazed back, wondering what this could mean...

CRACK!

Something screamed through the air with the speed and fury of a bolt of lightning, exploding close by and temporarily blinding her with its searing green flash. Letting her instincts take control, Skyra ducked quickly as a follow-up shot landed right where her head used to be! Frightened, Ardeo hid behind the girl's neck as she turned to see who her assailant was.

Shapes cloaked in shadows were moving quickly in their direction, climbing on ledges only a few yards below. Dark laughter and savage jeering could be heard from the numerous creatures swiftly closing in. Pirates-! It had to be Silver's men. The starlight shone on their beastly forms, outlining their bodies with a silvery white glow.

For a moment, Skyra tried fighting back, aiming for one of the shadows and releasing a whirling dagger, hoping her target was Mr. Silver. But the unrelenting darkness combined with the disorientation induced by the glowing plasma bolts caused the deadly weapon to veer slightly off course, whistling far out of sight into the darkness. She was out of time; she knew she couldn't last any longer like this!

Skyra swore loudly, forced to retreat to the cover of BEN's home.

Running with all the speed she could muster, Skyra narrowly avoided the superheated projectiles which raced at her like angry wraiths, biting at her ankles and sizzling past her hair. With a bounding leap and an aerial twist, she grabbed onto the edge of the giant circular entrance, sliding over the lip and rolling onto the floor behind it; her only desperate thought being to get behind cover as soon as physically possible, preferably even sooner.

Ardeo, who had somehow managed to hang on throughout Skyra's acrobatics, crawled into the inner confines of her vest as she jammed her back against the wall. She waited only long enough to get her bearings before popping back up to launch a black and scarlet dagger. A furious howl of pain was heard from outside.

Then came Kairi's voice from behind, "Skyra!" Donald and Goofy appeared not far behind her, and just as alarmed. "What's going on here?" cried the duck, hopping up and down as a series of laser blasts nearly burned holes in his feet.

A blazing green plasma bolt skimmed through the opening where Skyra had been standing not a second earlier, extinguishing itself on the far wall.

"Blasted pirates decided to make their move-!" Skyra strained to see their enemies outside through the corner of her eye, the largest possible visual she could give herself without exposing too much of her face. She cursed herself for not paying attention. If she hadn't let herself get distracted, she could have spotted them from afar! Now she could only attempt to hold them off until their inevitable arrival at their doorstep... _Grr...! There's too many!_ Not only that, but their adversaries had guns and were at almost point-blank distance. Meanwhile, they were cornered in a fairly small room.

Kairi called forth her Keyblade and Skyra was forced to back away as the brawny alien creatures began filling into the circular space.

Blinding fireballs ignited in the air, casting rays of yellow light that glistened off the metallic walls. Donald expertly shot them at the surrounding enemies while keeping some in suspended animation like magical flashlights. Goofy stood behind him, using his round shield emblazoned with the King's crest to keep the enemies at bay.

Fueled by the adrenaline already pumping through her veins, Kairi sprinted forward, brandishing her Keyblade by her side with both hands grasping the hilt. Approaching the nearest pirate, she nailed it across the face with a full-on swing, and he grunted in surprise as she followed up with several more painful strikes. Just then, a creature resembling a cross between a rhino and a man charged from behind the stunned pirate, swinging its powerful meaty fists with blood wrath in its eyes.

Kairi twisted out of the way, almost feeling the leathery gray skin brush past her face as the massive arm continued on its vertical plunge. Planting both feet firmly on the ground, she raised her flowery Keyblade high above her head and poured every ounce of her strength into a single downward slice. The burly pirate howled as the metal struck his still outstretched arm, but he quickly recovered and retaliated with a backhanded blow.

Kairi squeezed her eyes shut, just managing to drop to the floor before the sweeping strike thundered above her much smaller body. Reacting on an impulse, Kairi came out of her roll and leapt towards her attacker's face, grabbing hold of the prominent ivory horn between his nostrils. Instead of pulling his head down like she'd originally planned, the enraged alien creature reared into the air, neck muscled bulging...and lifted HER up with it.

The pirate stared cross-eyed at her through beady black orbs, making her feel helpless as she hung several feet from the ground below. Not caring to waste another second, Kairi's survival drive kicked in, snapping her out of her fear and bringing her arms and legs back to life.

Shaking her head, Kairi drew back her sword hand, which had been slung across the monster's long snout, and let her free arm support the weight of her body. Screaming an angry battle cry, Kairi let loose with a torrent of grueling thrusts to the creature's eyes, jaw and forehead before finishing off with a whirling spin attack and simultaneously letting go.

Kairi watched as the pirate howled in agony, savoring the small victory and reveling in the spirit of the moment. Despite the danger of their situation, Kairi couldn't help but feel excitement rush through her with each step, and satisfaction with each successful blow. It was all action and reaction. Cause and effect. Nothing was complicated. You either fought, or got hurt.

Skyra was locked in an intricate dance, leaping off walls, nimbly avoiding attacks, all the while delivering swift kicks and slashes of vengeful fury.

A pot bellied creature with demonish horns and a stubby dinosaur's tail rushed up to her, unleashing a diagonal swinging punch at her midsection. She backstepped to avoid the hit and countered with a stinging double-kick to his face, causing him to stagger back with a pained grunt while covering his burning eyes with pinkish grubby hands.

Another one suddenly charged her from behind, but Skyra sensed it just in time. Quickly, she leapt backwards into the air, coming out of a half flip and pushing off the creature's broad shoulders with her hands. The pirate, unable to slow his momentum, kept going and collided with the still-recovering demon creature with the force of a battering ram. Both were sent crashing into the wall where they slid to the floor in a groaning heap.

Then a different sound broke through the melee. Someone gasped.

Skyra spun around to see that Kairi was being restrained by two relatively strong-looking pirates, one of whom she recognized as Turnbuckle, the Legacy's navigational pilot. Kairi struggled vainly as the stronger men held her captive by both arms, but nothing she could do would free her from their grasp.

Seeing this, Skyra hesitated for just one crucial second, but it was one second too long. A raging plasma bolt rippled through the air at her right hand, knocking the knife right out from her fingers. She reflexively grabbed her palm as aching waves of pain flew up her arm from the bone-jarring force of the impact.

And Skyra knew what was coming next.

She tried to run, but they caught her. Two muscular pirates appeared and handled her roughly by her shoulders. And Skyra being Skyra, she couldn't accept defeat- not now! She fought like an animal, wrestling for her freedom and giving the one on her right a face full of her foot.

Her two captors were caught unprepared, and that was almost enough for Skyra to break free, but to her annoyance they actually recovered, ruthlessly using their brute strength to finally suppress her.

Captain Amelia and Doctor Doppler were already being tied up; Donald and Goofy were lying on the floor as two lackeys secured their wrists together. Donald was absolutely infuriated, squabbling heated threats and promising dire consequences to their captors should they refuse to let him go. Considering his current position however, he really didn't come across as very intimidating, and he was sent into another fit of rage when the surrounding pirates began grinning and laughing in amusement at his expense.

Skyra stared ahead with malice in her eyes, still struggling a bit as Mr. Silver stepped into the room. The man chuckled in victory, his one mechanical eye glaring red as it scanned the scene. Didn't take him long to notice that a few of them were absent.

"Now then...where be Jimbo?"

* * *

"Whew. What a night, eh?"

Sora watched as Riku maneuvered out of the claustrophobic crawlspace and sat upright on the ledge above.

"Riku, you are like the king of understatements."

The boy with the silver hair raised an eyebrow and looked down on Sora in amusement. "Hm? What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh please. You're just acting all nonchalant to make yourself look cool."

The sound of shoes hitting metal.

Riku stood up, now right next to Sora after landing the ten foot drop. "Glad you finally caught on, Sora." he said with sarcastic wink.

Sora, wanting nothing more than to just slap that cocky smirk right off his face, gave Riku a playful shove into the wall. His friend returned the gesture by placing a hand on his head and doing a thorough job of throwing his brunette hair unto disorder. Sora rigorously attempted to fix his do before retorting, "Yeah, like you weren't worried when Scroop tried to kill us."

Riku shrugged. "Hey, I was on the other side of the ship with BEN. I just thought it was fun when he turned off the artificial gravity."

"Well, while you were messing around, Jim was barely hanging onto the flag at the top of the mast and trying not to fall up while 'Spider Psycho' tried to cut the rope!"

"Yeah, well, he's gone now so we can all relax," assured Riku.

"Come on, you guys," called Jim from up ahead, "It'd be nice if we got back sometime tonight, you know." As much as he would love to be celebrating right now, they weren't out of this mess just yet. Still, having the map was a huge relief.

James Hawkins paced through the well-lit tunnel with Morph sleeping in his pocket and BEN jabbering along beside him. But he was hardly listening; his nerves were still a bit jittery from his umpteenth near-death encounter, and the frightening game of cat and mouse he had played with Scroop left him a little exhausted. In somewhat higher spirits, he thought about the future, daring now to hope for a more optimistic outcome to this adventure. If he played his cards right, he might still find a way to come out of this with a piece of the treasure. He had to, if he was to rebuild the Benbow Inn...

His family's business. The place had been falling behind for the past few years, barely able to make ends meet with only him and his mother taking care of it. The night when that old salamander Billy Bones crash-landed nearby with the treasure chest containing the map was the night his life changed. The Benbow Inn had burned to the ground when a band of what he had assumed to be outlaws came and ransacked everything. Taking the copper sphere that later turned out to be the map to Treasure Planet he and his mother fled, barely escaping with their lives.

And that crusty old sea dog Mr. Silver... Jim hoped that Sora was right about him being confused. If anything, that bloodthirsty crew of his was enough to pressure anyone into doing what he did. He pushed the thought away. He'd have to settle his business with him later, Jim decided. And anyway, they were already here.

Jim climbed up through the hidden entrance above, casting strange shadows against the light playing through the round opening. The room was otherwise very dark besides the fare amount of starlight shining in from the main entrance. He could make out what he figured was the shadow of Dr. Doppler and he ran towards it, smiling victoriously with the map upheld. "Doc, doc, look," he said excitedly, "I got the map!"

The shadow reached out to take the map, but Jim realized the instant it was touched that the power behind the grip was far too much to be that of the lightweight doctor. A false eye suddenly blinked open, its artificial pupil blazing laser point red. Jim's heart jumped violently as if he had been touched by a ghost, and he found himself backing away slowly in shock as the massive form brought itself forth so that Long John Silver stood clearly in the light. "Fine work, Jimbo..." said the tall, bulky man, "Fine work indeed..." A dark, boastful smile played across his lips as his eyes soaked in every contour of the map's design.

Jim turned his horror-stricken eyes to the right, where he now saw Donald, Goofy, Skyra, Kairi, the doctor and the captain all tied up like hostages. Each had their wrists tied behind their back and thick rope wound around their midriff to restrict arm movement. Additionally, white cloths had been tied over each of their mouths to keep them from speaking. Skyra squirmed angrily from her position on the floor, Ardeo no longer on her shoulder, and clearly ticked off about being restrained against her will. Taunting growls and cackles arose from the once-crew mates who surrounded them, amused at seeing the mighty warrior with the no-nonsense attitude reduced to this level.

By this time, Riku was already making his way up through the secret passageway in the back of the room. He got up to where BEN was, wondering what the robot was staring at. But as soon as he'd laid eyes on the scene he understood the situation immediately. There was no time to think. He had only one impulse: save Sora.

Riku sensed him coming up the shaft behind him, completely innocent and unaware of the danger outside. Wordlessly he turned on him, shoving the boy roughly back down with no explanation; Sora's eyes flashed with sudden confusion as he was forced to fall back onto the walkway below. "Riku-?" was all he could manage before he was sent tumbling down the bright tube.

Riku felt bad for having to leave Sora like that but he leapt out of hiding anyway, Way to Dawn drawn defiantly as he charged into the fray, desperately hoping his plan would work.

Meanwhile, the pirates surrounded Jim like a pack of wolves, slowly closing off any hopes of escape. He spun around frantically, then bolted at the last second for a gap between two of them. Too late! Jim wrestled violently in vain as the beastly pirates snatched him and held him back by both arms. Morph floated out of Jim's pocket, slightly transforming himself so he had sharp white teeth too large for his mouth as he bit down hard on the demon creature's tail. It cried out in pain, retaliating with a savage whack of the thick appendage.

Unfortunately, this was the extent of the little creature's bravery, and he was sent whimpering in fear back to Jim's pants pocket.

At that moment Riku rushed in from behind, launching a ball of blistering dark fira to his left and yelling like an enraged banshee as he swiped away an unsuspecting pirate. They cowered away from the dark flame, clearly afraid of his powerful magic.

Seeing this, Mr. Silver berated them angrily, reminding them that they had long range weapons with which to shoot at the crazy silver-haired boy. His threats combined with the fact that they outnumbered Riku seemed to finally give them enough courage to pull out their blasters.

Riku moved fast. Using the downed pirate he had just attacked as a platform, he jumped up at an angle and ran along the wall to avoid the green lasers. Before gravity could claim its power over him however, he kicked off hard, flying like an arrow directly toward a very mean-looking pirate. Bringing his Keyblade before him, Riku rent the creature right across the face with a roar, came out of a twisting flip, and bent his knees as he landed.

Dashing back towards his enemy, Riku unleashed a whirlwind of attacks, knocking the pirate out cold as it fell over backwards. More plasma shots screamed towards him blindingly fast, and he could barely bring up his weapon in time, blocking them purely out of reflex. He cringed as waves of pain shot up his from his wrist, the impact making his arm numb.

Two more pirates came at him before he could recover, and found himself only able to sidestep the first and block the second. But the hit was too much for his injured arm and he cried out involuntarily, backing away. It was excruciating. Riku clutched his forearm while trying not to drop Way to Dawn, wondering through the agony whether or not the bone might be fractured.

The first of the pirates, the strange rhino-like alien that stood on two legs, saw this as its chance. Its feet pawed the ground as roared a battle cry that was half animal; it charged, the earth seeming to shake with each heavy footfall. Riku opened one eye as it came, feeling the heat rise in his left palm as a ball of dark fire was summoned. But it was only half formed by the time the creature was upon him and he leaned off to the side in hopes of minimizing the impact.

It was a feeble hope; he knew this was going to hurt.

Riku faintly recalled a sharp pain shooting up his spine and Kairi's muffled scream as he was pummeled spread-eagle into the wall. He gasped, winded and eyes rolling back into his head as the world dimmed. A groan escaped his lips as he fell forward. _That's okay...,_ he thought, _as long as Sora is safe_. Then the darkness rose up to claim him.

Jim struggled hopelessly as Riku slumped to floor, unmoving. His wing-shaped Keyblade vanished as it clinked to the ground. A rustling sound accompanied by some yelling made them all turn to see that BEN had been discovered inside the secret exit by one of the pirates- a small, very nasty female with tangled hair and a scornful scowl. "Look what I found," the creature said maliciously.

"Not the face," cried BEN, "not the face!"

Jim glared as Silver approached him victoriously, knowing that all his plans and resources seemed to have crumbled before him. How could everything have gone so wrong!

Mr. Silver returned his look with a smirk, "Yer just like me, Jimbo. Ya hates ta' lose."

Jim tugged some more angrily as Silver backed away with a light chuckle, now turning his full attention to the odd sphere in his hands. He gripped the map with his meaty hands in an attempt to unlock it, but it just wouldn't budge. He tried again, switching his bionic arm into a powerful tool used for gripping and gave it another hard twist; all the while grunting in strained disbelief. This failed as well and he tried using many tiny claws to probe the glimmering map, his frustration mounting. It refused to move, remaining as strange and secretive as before. He finally gave up and looked at Jim, who smiled and shook his head a bit.

"Open it!" he ordered, thrusting the map into the teen's hands, which were released as the pirates stepped back, though they still watched him warily. He took the orb but did nothing. Silver's frown deepened at Jim's resilience; Jim stared back, almost growling.

The cyborg stood up tall, raising an eyebrow testily, his mechanical arm rotating into a musket who's futuristic power belied its old fashioned design. Riku's limp body was dropped to the floor beside Kairi, now bound and gagged like the rest of them. She leaned over him, distraught with worry, but unable to free her hands as he continued to sleep.

"... Or I get busy," warned Silver darkly, his point clearly made.

Amelia and Skyra shook their heads with matching fierceness at James Hawkins; Dr. Doppler was nodding pointedly, but, seeing the others' reaction, began shaking his head as well. Jim looked around, searching despairingly for a way out of this. The hulking Mr. Silver cocked his gun and gave Jim a long, expectant stare.

Jim glared back at him hatefully, then, without even glancing down, pressed two buttons and cranked it three times like a rubix cube- two counter clockwise rotations and one clockwise. Immediately, blue sparks of light flowed out of it, trailing like a cluster of shimmering fireflies. They gathered together in the air where they formed a green holographic projection of Treasure Planet and its two rings. The crew of traitors gasped in awe as the glowing model then disintegrated into a small orb of energy, zooming out unto the night and leaving behind a trail of neon. Many thin strands of light looped about the trail like decorative threads as it began to slowly pulse with an orange glow.

Silver gazed out the opening in wonder, not taking his eyes off the sky as he spoke. "Tie 'em up, an' leave 'im with the others 'till we-"

But all at once the trail broke up into small flecks of light again and retracted backwards, the thousands of tiny fireflies racing back into the map as Jim locked it once more. He raised his head, a glint appearing in his eye. "You want the map; you're taking me, too."

Mr. Silver glared at his boldness, seeming hesitant as he debated the proposal. Finally he chuckled, shaking his head a little with eyes closed. "We'll take 'em all!"~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

* * *

**Once again. Riku and his head injuries.**

**Tch, poor kid... I know it was a little dramatic, but that's probably what was going through his head as he passed out. Or at least that's probably what would be going through my head in that situation... Not that I would know anyway...**

**Well, there you have it! Unfortunately, this chapter was actually supposed to go on for another two scenes, but I figured "Meh, it's been about a month, there's over 6200 words and if I went any farther the mood would change." So, here it is. Hope you enjoyed it. :)**

**(trumpets sound, confetti falls, and Simple and Clean plays loudly)**

**Me: Holy freaking crap! We've hit the 50+ reviews milestone!**

**Announcer: Random Danciiiiing! (everyone starts dancing)**

**Axel: What the heck?**

**Me: Yeah, you're right. I can't do that, it'd be copyright infringement. Alright everyone; you can dance, just not randomly!**

**Aaaaaanyway... So, yeah. Thanks a lot guys for giving me all your lovely, lovely feedback! I do appreciate it so! And if you're curious about what we did with Cinderblock, the living reincarnation of my writer's block...let's just say no one's allowed in the basement from now on. Yep, he's quiet for now, but like every writer's block, he'll always be there.**

**Axel: And don't forget to recap. You know, 'cause you're ditsy-I mean **_**forgetful**_**. :P**

**Me: (glares at him) You're asking for it, aren't you?**

**Axel: (looks at the ceiling innocently) Me? What on earth are you talking about?**

**Me: Well, the redhead's got a point, so here it is.**

**No one complained about how the last part of chapter 11 was written, so I'm assuming it's a good sign. Really cryptic though, huh? Also, now you know about Jim's backstory and motives if you have not already seen the movie or read the original book (which I actually happen to be doing at the time ;D). If you couldn't connect the dots from the brief backstory, the outlaws that wrecked his home/business and Silver's crew of pirates are all one and the same! Once again, sorry that I feel compelled to be overly descriptive, but I wouldn't have it any other way- and I'm sure some of you wouldn't either.**

**Wait! Stop scrolling down the page now because I have something EXTREEMELY important to say. My best friend is currently writing an original story on booksie, a website for authors. Now, she has nine chapters that are super well-written, but are very short so she can update more often. Unfortunately, this has not happened for a while and she dislikes some of how it was written.**

**So, if you would, please copy and paste this link all together to get to her story named "The Dark Side Within" and check it out. Please, please, please review/comment (preferrably after every chapter) if you like it the way I do. Maybe then she'll get around to continuing it and realize it's awesome. She may decide to rewrite some of it though. Copy and paste all together, please!**

**http:/www.**

**booksie**

**.com/action_and_adventure/novel/pearlygreen101/the-dark-side-within/chapter/1**

**PLEASE! I want to see what happens to Brian! Oh, the suspense! XD**

**Well, until next time! Wish me luck on my Precalculus!**

**REVIEW OR AXEL WILL FIND YOU AND DO WHAT HE DID TO VEXEN!**


	13. Roxas, I choose you!

**Chapter 13: Roxas, I choose you!**

**Don't got much to say this time. I think my writing style may have changed slightly due to reading the Artemis fowl series (awesome! XD), so I hope you enjoy. Honestly, though, I think I did pretty well with this one. Seeing things that never happened in the movie is kind of like a behind-the-scenes look into the incident at Treasure Planet. Whoo-hoo! Any spelling errors are due to my computer or the website, because I went over every inch of this thing.**

**Thank you so much, **_**HawkRider**_** for reviewing the last chapter. Yeah, it's fun trying to stick Sora and the gang into the stories of other worlds while making it all seem to make sense. It came together nicely for me, though. Fist pump!**

**I do not own Poke'mon.**

**I'll express the rest of my thoughts at the end of the chapter, so just go on ahead and read now. We last left off with the gang getting tied up, and only Sora managing to escape capture thanks to the efforts of Riku...~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

* * *

Sora watched from his peep hole as the pirates headed out, dragging Riku and the others along with them. If anyone had happened to be looking in his direction, they would have seen the brown tufts of his acutely spiked hair and a pair of bright sapphire eyes poking out from apparently nowhere.

Sora couldn't believe what had just happened. Without even a moment's notice, Riku had shoved him back down the tube, where he fell hard onto the grating below. Sora had taken a few minutes to shake himself out of his daze and then headed back up the noisy tunnel. But by the time he made it up, BEN was already gone and Riku was no longer able to fight.

It seemed Mr. Silver had been lying in wait for them the whole time. And now he watched uselessly as his friends were lead away. Sora fervently wished his eyes were deceiving him; that none of this had just happened. But reality quickly dashed his premature hopes like a harsh blizzard descending on a patch of delicately budding flowers. His friends, including Doctor Doppler, Jim and Captain Amelia, were being held captive. And he had no idea how to save them.

Was that what Riku had wanted him to do? Did he purposely get himself captured in hopes that Sora would escape to free them later? He found himself suddenly angry_. That's easy for him to think,_ thought Sora. _What am I supposed to do now?_

_Riku and his stupid impulses_, he thought. Still though, he couldn't help feeling grateful for what he'd tried to do for him. He probably hadn't thought the whole thing through, as usual.

_Hey, Roxas. Are you seeing this?_

A second later the Nobody responded, and Sora suddenly felt much less alone_. "Yeah. And at the risk of sounding clichéd, this is not good."_

_I know... What are we going to do?_

Roxas sensed Sora's torment. Quickly, he called in all his resources, rifling through his brain for anything that could help. Come on, he thought. Think hard. There has to be something...

An idea struck him, or rather, a memory.

"_Sora, let's go back through the tunnel. I think I saw something on the way here that might be helpful."_

_You did?_

"_Yes. Unlike you, I was actually paying attention to my surroundings. Come on, we have to hurry if we want to catch up to them."_

Under different circumstances, Sora might have tried coming up with a witty comeback to Roxas's taunts. But these were not different circumstances, and he really didn't think he had the heart for it right now. Not when his friends were in danger. So he lingered a moment longer to watch the pirates walk of sight before ducking back into the not-so-secret tunnel again.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

* * *

High above the treetops sailed a small, dark craft. Heavily laden with passengers, the Legacy's last surviving longboat had been stretched to its maximum weight limit. Nevertheless, it continued to fly alongside the pulsating trail being projected from Jim's map. The beautiful woven threads of light were flashing even faster now, and steadily declining towards the ground, no doubt an indicator that they were finally nearing their destination.

Within the longboat, the prisoners had been squashed right in the middle of the surrounding pirates. Skyra, Riku and Kairi all had their wrists tied together in a three way back-to-back circle. A thick rope around their chests further restricted movement. Donald and Goofy were sitting on the wooden floor next to them in much the same position, while Ardeo had been carelessly jammed into a tiny metal bird's cage.

Among them, Jim and BEN were the only ones not tied up, standing more to the front of the vessel. BEN was essentially harmless, and Jim might as well have been handcuffed thanks to Mr. Silver's massive hand resting firmly on his shoulders. Even as he nervously fingered the glimmering map in his cupped hands, Jim found himself enthralled by what wonders might await at wherever the map was guiding them. He patted his pants pocket where Morph was hiding reassuringly; trying to tell the little guy that it was all going to be okay. Well, at least that's what he hoped.

Ardeo was not at all happy with this arrangement, by the way. Being separated from his companion by a set of steel bars made the loyal dragon very nervous, which stood to reason why Skyra was constantly receiving strands of mental messages laced with anxiety. Her reassuring thoughts were the only thing keeping him sedated enough not to blast everyone's eardrums with a rendition of deafening screeches. She figured they would be needing their auditory systems later.

Skyra was rather surprised at the thoroughness of the pirates. Prior to boarding the longboat, they had stripped her of quite an alarming array of sharp and pointy objects hidden in various locations on her person: those on her belt, in her single elbow-length leather glove, the small dagger sheathed on her back near the base of her neck, and even the one in her left sock. Anywhere there was space for a concealed weapon, they had checked. The confiscated assortment of throwing knives and specialized blades had all been placed in a pile at the front of the longboat, far out of reach.

Now, had Skyra not been the sort of prepared, violent and overly careful person she was, this might have left her without options. Fortunately, she happened to be extremely prepared, violent and careful, and as such never woke up in the morning without several back-up plans. For instance, there was an expertly concealed compact hollow in the fabric of one of her boots, where a deadly switchblade rested next to her ankle. The tightly hinged knife was capable of flipping out so fast, it could easily slice someone's finger clean off.

Another example was the pendant she secretly wore on a necklace that was hidden by her shirt. Made of what appeared to be rough gray rock, it looked for all the world an ordinary decorative charm. However, if this charm were heated up, say, by Ardeo's purple fire, the brittle material would fall apart to reveal a throwing star.

Still, she preferred an arsenal of throwing knives, especially since there were at least ten or so pirates squished into the tiny longboat with them.

Behind her, Riku stirred slightly, finally beginning to regain his senses. He twitched and groaned a little, and then his eyes fluttered open like the wings of a humming bird as his brain rebooted itself.

"The sleeping boy awakens," said Skyra, sounding a bit cheery despite their situation. "Pop quiz. Tell me, in the next life, what species of idiot would you like to be?"

Riku chuckled groggily. _That bad, huh_. "Hopefully one that never comes within a five-mile radius of you."

Skyra grunted in amusement. "Good answer."

Riku felt Kairi's wrists move against his as she turned to look at him with due concern. "Are you okay, Riku?"

He offered a smile. "Oh, just a little head trauma. Nothing I'm not already used to," he joked weakly, a small measure of pain in his voice. "Yeah, I'm okay, Kairi."

Really though, it felt as if there were a professional boxer in his head, using his brain for a punching bag. Plus, his body ached from the stiffness of being slumped in the same position for too long, and all his limbs were intensely rheumatic from overexposure to the cool early morning air. Riku tried to loosen up his joints, but he moved to fast and the boxer went ballistic on the back of his cranium_. Man, he thought, I might just need that helmet after all._

"And just what kind of crazy stunt was that, anyway?"

"Well," Riku began, a little embarrassed, "I was hoping that if I caused some trouble, they might forget about Sora."

He kept his voice low enough so that the hum of the longboat's engines would mask his words from the pirates. This proved to be virtually unnecessary, as they were hardly listening, dreams of rolling around in substantial amounts of gold bubbling up gleefully in their heads.

Skyra tilted her head in consideration. "Ah, distraction. Perhaps not so stupid a move after all."

"Sora...," said Kairi thoughtfully, "I hope he's alright..."

"Don't worry. Sora always comes through."

"So, you're confident?" asked Skyra.

"... Yeah," nodded Riku, just as much to himself as anyone else.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

* * *

"How in the world did you even notice this thing, Roxas?"

Sora was examining a strange piece of machinery attached to the wall of the tunnel. It appeared to be a panel of some kind, made from a lustrous, polished black metal. Etched into the surface were hundreds of white lines connecting various dots in a radial pattern, very similar to a spider web. One of the dots was currently glowing white, which Sora figured probably meant "You Are Here". And in the center, where all the lines met was a light that pulsed green. The top of the panel read, "Terminal Map".

"_In the Organization_," explained Roxas, _"I had to do more than just muscle work. I was also assigned recon missions from time to time. When exploring a new world, information is power in any situation. Even the tiniest detail can be crucial. Eventually, it became second nature_."

_Wow, he's like a secret agent or something_, thought Sora, conjuring up an image of Roxas in a tuxedo with black shades. The Nobody suddenly burst out laughing inside his head. Oops, forgot to shield that thought.

Ugh, I forget you're in my head sometimes, Roxas.

"_I know,"_ said Roxas between chuckles_." In fact, you are so ridiculously forgetful; I'm surprised you can put your underwear on the right way in the morning_."

"Hey!" said Sora indignantly. "I'm not that stupid. Besides, I'm the one holding this heart pendant, so i wouldn't be laughing if I were you."

Sora carefully tugged the palm-sized object from his pocket, studying the swirling pastels of sunset within the heart-shaped chamber. The black and white wings were so realistic and fragile looking, they constantly tricked his mind into thinking that they were actually moving. Roxas tried to hide his sudden excitement, but Sora caught it anyway. _Alright, time to come out, Roxas. Are you ready?_

Roxas thought about saying, "Don't ask stupid questions", but all he responded with was, "_Yeah_."

Sora lifted the pendant above his head, the silver chain clinking softly. The strange mechanism inside it activated with a hum, and the faint cracks on the heart spread wider into four sectors. The folded angelic wings jutted out, ready to soar, and a blinding luminescence flowed out of the pendant like the rays of a star. Though you couldn't have seen him as the light quickly enveloped the area, Sora couldn't suppress a grin as a thought popped into his head. He opened his mouth.

"Roxas, I choose you!"

The stunning flash receded, bolstering with sparkling magic as it was sucked back into the pendant, as if someone had pressed the reverse button on a DVD player. The tunnel's light setting slowly returned to normal, the only proof that anything had happened at all taking the form of a thin, blonde-haired boy. Roxas stood in front of Sora, now one-hundred percent solid.

His eyebrows were creased together as if trying to process a thought, facial features resembling the look someone might shoot at a friend who just randomly burst out singing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star". A tone-deaf friend.

Roxas turned to Sora with arms out in confusion, looking slightly annoyed.

"What the-? Sora, I'm not a Poke'mon!"

His Somebody grinned wide, eyes closed in glee. "Sure you aren't, _Deroxas."_

Roxas could not believe Sora had just combined is name with Deoxys, a legendary Poke'mon from outer space. "Shut up, Sora! You're too old for that show," he said, lunging at the smirking boy like a cheetah on a gazelle.

Sora fled. "Oh no, Deroxas is going to use Phychic on me! Run away!"

Roxas quickly gave up the chase after only a few steps, remembering that he did not have time to play stupid games with Sora. A vein throbbed on his temple, expressing his irritation. Honestly, of all times. So much for being too worried to joke around. Sora never could stay depressed for long, the bipolar little...

"Come on, Sora," he called. "We have people to rescue, remember?"

Finally, after Sora calmed down enough to listen to Roxas, the two set their sights on a hallway that branched directly off from where the terminal map was displayed. A mountainous cluster of debris and old hardware blocked their path; some of it rusted red with age. They picked their way through and around it, attempting to avoid the various sharp objects jutting out randomly at haphazard angles. The pair eventually emerged with only minimal cuts and torn clothes, their self-sealing garments magically knitting themselves together.

Their footsteps bounced metallically off the steel walls, making it sound more or less like a squadron of troops marching out of step. Flashes of green light raced down a conduit on the wall, humming a soft _zshoom_ sound each time they passed. Sora was in the process of wondering where the lights might be leading them when they turned a corner, coming face-to-face with a giant metal sphere suspended by a set of tracks.

The inside of the vehicle was hollow and about three yards in diameter, with 360 degree windows and handlebars for passengers to hold on to. Circumscribing this was a ring on a gyro mechanism that clamped itself onto the glow-lined tracks on either side of the sphere. The twin parallel tracks hung suspended over the endless cavernous drop below, running and twisting off into the distance. Very cool. Very high-tech.

"Whoa," said Sora, awestruck as he touched the outside of the tiny craft's hull. "Neat."

"_Typical of Sora to express himself in one-word sentences,"_ thought Roxas to himself, rolling his eyes as he stepped past the boy to check out the interior of the gyro. His shoes clacked on the semi-reflective surface of reinforced plastic polymer flooring, and he quickly spotted what looked like some kind of control mechanism by the front windshield. Roxas paused for a moment as he laid his fingers on the keyboard, glad to be out and touching things in the real world again. It felt so right, and he would count every second as a blessing before having to return to Sora.

Now, to find the activation protocol switch. He scanned the dash, searching for anything that resembled an "on" button. Roxas wondered briefly on whether or not he would be able to operate such a strange piece of equipment, recalling that the last time he had encountered a computer, he'd brutally smashed it into a sizzling chunk of scrap metal. Hopefully things wouldn't turn out the same way twice.

One of the buttons caught his eye; a large, round thing with a glowing symbol scrawled into it. His finger hovered over the button, and then he tapped it without further hesitation.

The gyro whirred to life, startling Sora as outer parts clicked and moved, meshing with other components like cogs on the inside of a clock. He dashed into the vehicle as light began to emanate from the sphere's outer frame. Inside, the computer station was fully operational, displaying a visual of Treasure Planet's underground on a digital screen. This thing looked years ahead of the technology they had seen so far on this world. Everything seemed to be getting more futuristic and less traditional.

The only thought Roxas could form was: _Wow, I can't believe it worked on the first try._

"Would you like to ride the terminal to this location?" asked the computer in an artificial female voice. The screen zoomed ahead to where the hundreds of winding terminals met in a pulsating green dot.

_The system must be resonating with Jim's recently activated map_, thought Roxas. _If so, then that should be where the pirates are heading_. "Yes," he answered. "Take us there."

"Please," added Sora. Roxas gave him a funny look, and then rolled his eyes as the pod's engines whined a steady crescendo.

"Please hold onto a safety pole, and do not try to move about the cabin while the pod is in motion," said the voice. Roxas and Sora reached up to the metal bars above their heads. Currents of energy streamed up from the tracks, pushing off the pod with a kick. The inertia caused them to lean back like passengers in a train, and they were off.

The pod accelerated smoothly ahead, riding the twin tracks on either side like a roller coaster. They dipped and turned, the gravity-sensitive gyro mechanism keeping the sphere from flipping out of control as miles of machinery passed by in the cavernous space. Sora glanced at the terminal map being displayed. Presuming that red dot on the screen was them, there was a long way to go and they appeared to moving at about the same pace as a mentally ill slug.

_My friends are in trouble_, Sora thought anxiously_. That isn't good enough!_ He pored over the pod's controls, finding a lever that seemed to control speed. There were three settings: "CRUISE", "RIDICULOUSLY FAST", and "DANGER. DO NOT TRY THIS". One guess as to which one he picked.

The pod boosted like a rocket on adrenaline, and Roxas's stomach dropped into his shoes. "What are you doing?" he yelled, the color draining from his face.

"We have to go faster!" replied Sora, even as he struggled to maintain his hold on the safety bars. The pod bucked as they flew up and down, then winded to the right. Roxas was thrown off his feet, sprawling backwards into the wall. He forced his gaze up from his position on the floor, scouring the area for anything to hold on to. Thankfully, there was something, and it took the form of a vertical safety pole attached to the wall next to him. Praise Kingdom Hearts.

Roxas propped himself on his knees with no small effort, trying to keep his center of gravity low so the pod's motions wouldn't toss him around like a rag doll. He fought the g-forces tugging at his skin, finally grasping the pole and using it to pull himself up on shaky legs. He looked up. Sora was completely off the floor now, hugging the ceiling-mounted pole for dear life. His feet swung wildly out behind him. It was almost comical, really.

But all traces of humor left Roxas as he switched his gaze to the windshield. The tracks ahead started to form corkscrews, winding themselves until they resembled a DNA's double helix. Roxas thought they were going to die, and to be fair, no one could blame him. They were on a carnival ride from Hell, and Roxas found himself screaming. He shouted something about the pod needing to have seat belts, but the wind stole the words before they could even reach his ears.

Just as they approached the twisted tracks, the outer ring of the pod rotated to keep up, spinning around them as the main body's equilibrium compensated for their weight. They remained upright, and Roxas relaxed a little.

Okay, so they weren't going to die. Maybe. Still, he couldn't quite relax enough to forget about the shaking. Despite the terminal pods ingenious design, they were moving far too fast for comfort and some vibrations still managed to make their way in. This, combined with the outer ring's erratic behavior was too dizzying for Roxas, threatening to worsen his nausea. He closed his eyes and squeezed the metal until his knuckles were white, remaining that way for the rest of the trip.

The metal sphere continued to speed along its course for a few more miles, finally applying its brakes as it raced down the final stretch. Steel screeched against steel, sparks igniting as the gears were forced to stop turning. Roxas ardently thanked his lucky stars when he felt the pod finally reach its conclusion. He released the metal safety bar, cautiously testing his unsteady legs. He immediately dropped on all fours.

Outside, Sora was exiting the vehicle as if nothing had happened at all. He heard some noises, like somebody was stumbling, and turned to see Roxas leaning against the door frame of the pod and breathing heavily, skin slightly green.

Roxas was fighting the urge to vomit as pools of saliva collected in his mouth, grimacing as an ache began to form behind his left eye. The boy was currently using the frame to keep himself standing because his legs felt way too much like jelly, not to mention the fluids in his ears were taking a long time to settle.

"Sora..."

More panting.

"If some Heartless doesn't get to you first, I swear... someday, I will be the one to kill you...!"

Sora rolled his eyes, running over to the Nobody and dragging him along by the arm. "No time for theatrics, Roxas, we have to go!"~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

* * *

They emerged not long after in much the same fashion as before. This time, however, the underground passage lead up to a gaping hole concealed by the roots of a fungal tree. Roxas stood up and cleared some dust from his otherwise pure white jacket, Sora also taking the opportunity to do the same.

It appeared that they had been transported to yet another dense jungle, or perhaps an extension of the same one. This planet was so covered in mushrooms; Sora was beginning to think that if he ever saw another one after this, he was personally going to smash it into itsy-bitsy, microscopic little pieces.

Sometime later, he actually did just that. The whole Gummiship had a party.

"I hate mushrooms," he said.

Roxas chuckled. "So, where do we go from here?"

"Well, the stars aren't familiar from this world and the forest is too dense anyway, so I guess we'll just have to look around as far as we can. If we see that glowing trail from Jim's map, we can follow that right to the treasure-I mean, to Riku and the others."

Roxas saw right through his cover-up. "Riiiight. Yeah, I see where your priorities lay, Sora."

"What? You know what I meant!"

"That you want to find your friends, or that you want to find the treasure?"

"..."

"A little of both?"

"Oh," chimed Sora with an obvious "I-don't-know" expression. "Who's to say, really? I mean, it's not like..."

Sora never got to finish that sentence.

For it was at that precise moment that a massive Heartless spawned directly in front of him. Bursting from a shredded cloak of darkness, the creature, driven mad with bloodlust, slammed a mighty fist of thorns right into the space where Sora was standing. Saved only from quick reflexes, Sora stared in horror as the earth was brutally pulverized where the Heartless's arm had made impact. The thing turned its head to stare at him with unyielding, empty yellow eyes, and then slowly stood up until it was fully erect.

It had to be over eight feet tall. The information-gathering part of Sora's brain wasn't functioning very well, but he could see through the darkness that the monster seemed to be made entirely of thick, tough vine. Lacking actual hands, the Heartless instead possessed a mace like appendage ending in a spiked ball created when the vines wrapped around super thorns ranging from about one to two feet in length. Following the muscular path of vines up its arm, Sora gazed at its immensely broad torso, armored with growth and impregnable thorns that rivaled steel.

On the other side of the Heartless, Roxas had also managed to get out of the way in time. Taking barely a second to analyze the new threat, he summoned his Keyblades and rushed at the monster while its attention was still focused on Sora.

"Raaah!" he screamed, baring his teeth angrily as he struck with all his might, expecting to feel his blades sink deep into Heartless flesh. He was dead wrong. The Heartless didn't even flinch; much less display any signs of injury. The blow hardly dealt even a small impression, Oblivion nearly decapitating Roxas as it bounced right back at him.

Above, the Heartless slowly rotated its small armored head to glare down sideways at him, as if he were such an insignificant threat that it had only just noticed him.

And right now, that's about how Roxas felt.

The Heartless casually raised one arm, and then sent it into a thundering arc towards Roxas. The blonde recovered from his shock enough to lean backwards and raise his Keyblades in defense. Even with his position reducing the arm's impact, the blow was enough send Roxas tumbling through the air.

Roxas concentrated hard through the sudden inertia, willing himself to flip upright for an aerial recovery. Pink light surrounded him briefly, and he landed, feet scraping the mossy ground as he slid backwards. A few yards away, Sora's Kingdom Key flashed into his hands. About time.

"Roxas, let's get on opposite sides of it!"

"Right."

The two of them both ran to their respective rights, effectively circling around until they were equidistant from the hulking Heartless. It was a good confusion technique. The monster looked from one to the other, unsure of which one to attack first.

"Give me a break," Sora said to Roxas. "How many times do these things have to attack me in the middle of a sentence?"

"I don't know, but I'm starting to feel like I've avoided death too many times already. Surely the odds must be stacking up against me by now..."

Sora chuckled. But this diversion was only temporary, and open-ended. The Heartless was massive, with no discernible weaknesses. Once it decided to attack, they would be able to do little in return. Even if they did find a way to harm the beast, it would take forever to chip away at its health. And time, Sora knew, they did not have. More Heartless were coming. They would be here soon, he could tell.

Through all his battles, Sora had developed a bit of a sixth sense for Heartless. He could sense their presence, hovering over the edges of his perception like a malevolent knife poised to strike. The more there were, the easier they were to detect. But this one had come alone.

The intimidating creature standing between them continued to debate with itself. Both enemies had Keyblades, a weapon which struck fear in all Heartless. Their instincts urged them to destroy it, to mercilessly swarm its chosen bearer until they choked the light from his heart. And there was another matter as well. Only one of them had a heart, the creature realized. The other had something small within him, yes, but the boy with brunette hair was special.

Its eyes locked onto Sora, studying the radiant light sparkling from within him. Seeing such a heart gnawed at the Heartless, driving it mad. The prospect of wiping a Keyblade from existence and devouring such a strong, tasty heart in one swoop was too much for its already diminished self-control to resist. It waited no longer, stomping towards Sora on legs thicker than tree trunks. The battle was on.

Sora blanched. That brief distraction wasn't enough. They still had no plan. He thought about what Roxas had said about their odds beginning to stack up. "We'll see," he said, calling up all the bravery he possessed and meeting the Heartless's charge with one of his own.

Sora rushed at the monster head-on, Keyblade held out behind him and ready to swing. The gap between them closed in less than a second, but it seemed like so much longer. Sora became extremely aware of every little movement; each step preparing him to be ready once the first opportunity presented itself.

And it came. With the force of a thousand hammers the Heartless swung its ferociously spiked arm, aiming directly for Sora's frantic heart. Without a second's hesitation he slid like a runner into home base, squeezing his eyes shut as a half-ton of plant and thorn matter sped above his face with inches to spare. The moment was gone in a flash and he was up again, pushing off the ground and rocketing towards the Heartless's armpit, twisting like a hurricane to get as much power as he could on the way there.

The resulting impact was like a train crashing into the Hoover dam. Sora didn't even know what had happened. One second he was ready to smash the bark off the giant Heartless, and the next he was laying on the ground, staring up dizzily at the bottom of a massive round foot positioned directly above him. Both his arms were completely numb, all the way up to the shoulders. All he knew was that they ached terribly, and that he couldn't summon the will move right now. He watched in vague curiosity as the black circle rushed down to smother the very life out of him.

Roxas saw Sora's peril, eyes flaring wide with concern. It looked like he had been knocked to the ground hard enough to cause a concussion. If he lived. Which that giant Heartless was about to make sure never happened.

"Sora!" called Roxas, diving at the felled Key Bearer with all the speed he possessed. Flying like an arrow, he shot under the monster's foot and grabbed Sora's shirt, pulling him away from certain death. The two rolled across the ground, Sora going farther but Roxas bouncing higher. The latter raised his eyes to watch as the terrifying creature let out a screeching roar, deep but chilling, like some injured beast trapped within an echoing well.

From its foot gushed pools of shadowy black blood where Oathkeeper had pierced right through the plate of tough callous armor. Lying on his side, Roxas stared at the writhing Heartless, and then peered over his shoulder to see Sora sprawled on his back not far behind him. He scrambled over and lifted Sora's head slightly, letting a flow of Cura magic gradually bring the boy to his senses.

Sora's eyes fluttered open, eventually uncrossing themselves as fuzzy version of Roxas's head tried asking him how he felt. An earsplitting sound was filling the air around them, making him wince.

"... Remember to hang up the towels when you're done..." muttered Sora sleepily.

"What?" said Roxas, one eyebrow arched at the completely random statement. A battle-crazed Heartless was trying to kill them and Sora was busy educating him on proper bathroom mannerisms.

_Sora._ Oh the irony.

"Sora, wake up!"

"Uhng...?" Sora sat up halfway, finally realizing that the source of all that shrieking was the Heartless. The one that had attacked them... "What...what's wrong with it?"

Roxas smirked in satisfaction. When he had dived for Sora a moment ago, Roxas had used one last split-second to twist around and plant Oathkeeper into the ground, blade facing up. As they exited the range of the Heartless's attack, its foot continued on its earth-shattering descent, meeting the snowflake tip and immediately forcing it deep into the sole. The Heartless howled in agony as the silvery Keyblade continued to defiantly pulse with sparkling surges of light.

"Let's just say he'll be limping from now on," responded Roxas coolly, making sure Sora got safely to his feet. With a flick of his wrist, Oathkeeper triumphantly returned to him, leaving the eight-foot beast to compose itself a few yards away.

"Thanks Roxas, for saving me. I guess I owe you one."

"Careful, I'll hold you to it." Roxas replied casually. "When someone says 'Got it memorized' like five million times, well...you start to memorize things."

"You ready?"

Roxas nodded.

"Then let's go!"

Surrounded by an endless array of moss and fungus, Somebody and Nobody charged at the wounded Heartless, Keyblades drawn furiously. They leaped, slashed, and avoided attacks, testing every square inch of the monster for a weak spot. It was much easier now, with the beast kneeling down on one knee. it continued to defend itself effectively, however, utilizing its long, heavy arms to keep them at a distance.

We've got the advantage now, Sora thought, but we still can't even put a dent in him. There has to be a way to cut through its defenses...

Countless tactics and abilities rushed through Sora's mind. He thought of complicated maneuvers, ruthless combination attacks, and overly flashy moves that were really more just for show. Quickly he ruled them out, each one ultimately being rendered ineffectual by the branching layers of plant armor that guarded every last bit of the Heartless's outer surface area. _It's that thick vine we need to get rid of, but how?_

Sora slapped his face. Bingo!

A most brilliant, if somewhat obvious idea occurred to Sora. _When your enemy's too far out of reach, use magic._

"Take this, you creep!" said Sora, Wielder of the Keyblade, as he aimed his mighty weapon at the Heartless. "Fire!"

The silver key glowed with light, beams of pure magic racing to the tip where a blistering ball of cleansing fire awaited its launch. Sora was instantly blinded, but he held his weapon steady, trusting the Keyblade and his Lock ability to direct the writhing heat.

Whoooosh! The scorching fire homed in on its target, like a vengeful dragon out to incinerate evil. The ball made contact, singing the tough vine and causing the Heartless to screech and beat the ground in anger. Roxas, who was standing on the other side of the monster, quickly caught on, and together they mercilessly pounded the Heartless with more blasts of fire. Eventually, the collective bursts of magical flame grew hot enough to set the entire monster ablaze, burning a hungry yellow-white as it slowly disintegrated the tough, spiny armor.

The scene before them mirrored something akin to a horror flick. Standing there was a huge, monstrous monster of monsters, and through all the pain and consuming fire, was still not dead. The creature realized it was in danger of being eaten alive by the overpowering heat, making it feel even more cornered. This created an instinctual urge to lash out with ten times the violent force in order to satisfy the drive of self-preservation.

Eyes blazing with primal rage, it directed its total attention to the Keyblade wielders and unleashed a brand new attack. Holding out both arms to its sides, it released the spike ball attachments that made up its hands and sent them rocketing towards its enemies like missiles. Roxas barely had time to move out of the way as the rock-solid projectile nearly broke his arm right out of its socket.

The arms retracted, still attached to the Heartless's main body by a cord of braided vine. The beast roared, going absolutely ballistic and repetitively trying to crush them with more long ranged attacks.

The battle was heating up, and in more ways than one. Sora was concentrating all his energy on trying not to get hit, resorting to Dodge-rolling as the onslaught became faster and much more furious.

Sora hated Dodge-rolling over usage. The constant tuck-and-roll motion not only began to bruise his head and neck, but also made him dizzy. Unfortunately, it was either disorientation, or death by spike balls of fiery and painful death. It was also unfortunate that Roxas had just been knocked to the side and the Heartless was now only firing at him.

Sora paused for a moment just to scream his frustrations at the Heartless. "REALLY?"

It continued to pound at him, as if saying, "Really, kid. Have a good last five seconds of your life."

RraaaAAAAOOOoorrr!

Cold sweat clung to Sora's legs and face, chilling him to the bone even as his body overheated. One of the blazing spike balls thundered past his head, and he wondered how much longer he would last until he reached his limit. He ducked, dodged, jumped, and hid behind the trunks of mushroom trees. The Heartless roared, launched, and swung its detachable arms, also knocking over those trees like tiny, fragile toothpicks.

Sora's ankles and legs were completely overworked, becoming slow and clumsy as if they had congealed into rice pudding. One hit. That was all it would take for the Heartless to leave him completely defenseless, and possibly break every bone in his body. Its attacks were getting closer and closer. How much longer before one of them got lucky? Sora was just pondering this subject himself when he heard a clear voice cut through the mayhem.

"Sora!"

Sora finally got enough distance from the enraged Heartless to look up. Hovering high above the monster was Roxas, using his Glide ability to remain floating in midair. "Get up here so we can finish this thing off!"

Sora smiled. He knew exactly what Roxas was thinking. Sora turned to the flammable Heartless, rushing it with all the speed his worn out legs could possibly provide. "I'm right here, ugly! Come get it!"

And "get it" it did. The creature met him head on, launching both arms at the same time. Sora brought his Keyblade down on the missiles, using it to flip himself high over the spikes and onto the giant's head. He felt the heat licking his ankles, but he was gone in less than a second, flying directly up to where Roxas awaited him in the air. The blonde readied his Keyblade as if about to swing, and Sora did a half-flip until his head faced the ground.

Timing it just right, Roxas swung like a star baseball player, the Keyblade connecting with Sora's feet and tripling his momentum directly down at the Heartless below. Sora pointed the Kingdom Key directly ahead of him, bearing down faster than sound to pierce the already damaged armor of the Heartless. "Sonic Blade!"

_Crack!_

The monster arched its back in pain as Sora sliced right into it. The boy landed, aiming for yet another attack.

He flew at it again, almost invisible. "Rave!"

RrraaaaOOOOOOOOOOOOrrRR!

_Crack!_

Again. "Rave!"

Sora hit it again and again, dashing at the Heartless from every angle until the armor finally broke apart. It crumbled into pieces, leaving the soft inner body completely exposed.

He went for the killing blow, holding his Keyblade steady and true. It seemed to vibrate excitedly, as if desiring with a will of its own to eliminate this vile creature from existence. Sora couldn't miss, it was impossible. "Rave!" he shouted for the final time, the air still echoing with his sonic booms.

The momentum took him right through the Heartless, entering at its chest and exiting through its back.

The creature groaned, swaying a little, a gaping hole where its heart would have been. Sora heard it collapse, disappearing into wisps of black smoke behind him. He got up from his crouching position as Roxas landed next to him, surveying the fading darkness of the defeated Heartless.

Victory was in Sora's heart, but he finally gave in to the weariness and fell back down on his butt. Roxas laughed.

Suddenly, thousands of yellow eyes appeared in the forest around them, glittering like stars as they sensed the presence of the mighty Keyblade.

"No time to rest now," observed Roxas grimly, taking a defensive stance.

Sora groaned, still sitting on the ground. He almost didn't even care about those pesky Heartless.

"Can't you just go away!" he shouted at them.

...

Of course, that did about as much good as telling a poorly trained dog not to jump into a river of the juiciest, crunchiest bacon. It just didn't work that way. Roxas raised his eyebrows like_, well that's no surprise,_ and helped Sora get to his feet. "C'mon, Sora. Here, take this."

Roxas handed him a golden elixir and took one out for himself. Sora accepted the decorative bottle with a thankful nod. Elixirs were a particularly difficult tonic to brew, but once all the ingredients were mixed in just the right way, the bitter liquid made the transition to a bright, swirling gold. All credit to the Moogle merchants. Those little guys were life savers.

"Cheers," their bottles clinked together and the both of them downed the flasks of healing liquid in one gulp.

Sora felt instantly rejuvenated. His weariness melted away, replaced with a new strength as the elixir gave him a mana boost and made his various cuts, bruises, and even the headache disappear. He now stood with his back facing Roxas's, Keyblade drawn defiantly against the seamlessly insurmountable army of shadows.

"You ready?" This time Roxas asked the question.

He got all the answer he needed when Sora smiled, slashing the air with bravado before crouching into his battle stance.

The Heartless squirmed excitedly, their claws of pure darkness scoring deep gashes into the dirt and moss below. Each one of them shivered in fear of the Keyblade, and yet was simultaneously drawn with irresistible force towards it, and the radiant heart that beat with the same purpose. Their expressionless eyes numbered in the thousands, literally illuminating the darkness like a swarm of spherical fireflies. Evil spherical fireflies, to more accurately describe the sight.

The sheer amount of tension crackled in the air like electricity, permeating Sora's body and enhancing his senses tenfold. If this energy could somehow be harvested, it could probably power a small microwave oven for a few millennia.

"Hey, Roxas."

"Hmm?"

"Whoever kills the most, _wins_." Sora said the word _'wins'_ with such reverent emphasis, as if Roxas should really care.

Still, he grunted in amusement. "Bring it one, then," he said calmly, getting ready for the metaphorical floodgates to burst.

Finally, the growing mob of mindless creatures, completely bent on violence, could hold itself back no longer. Dozens of tiny mutant mushroom Heartless skittered in formation, communicating with each other in an eerie, bug like chatter. Air Pirates joined the party, swooping in on demonic wings while slashing at their foes with wickedly serrated scimitars. The assortment was complete with a jumble of common Shadow and Soldier Heartless, the former of which melted into their two-dimensional form to sneak around in search of blind spots.

Roxas, with his oh-so amazing observation skills, quickly found a loophole in the fungal monsters' anatomy; hop-skipping from one round head to another to get in some easy attacks. Unable to stretch their arachnoid legs high enough to reach him, a mounted Heartless was as good as gone. The Key of Destiny was a blur of motion, never in one place longer than a second. Oathkeeper and Oblivion swirled around him, streaks of silver and jet black moving in perfect harmony.

Roxas flipped through the air like a cannonball, leaving a pair of Air Pirates spinning in confusion as he zoomed right past them and onto the head of another victim. He twirled his Keyblades out, then drove them straight down as he made his descent. The creature's head we pas immediately rent asunder, and Roxas leapt high above the resulting smoke, watching the glowing pink heart rise out of sight on his way down.

Unfortunately, the next thing he landed on wasn't so soft and squishy. When the oversized mushroom hybrid heard the patter of feet on its armored cranium, it most certainly was _not _happy. Roxas swayed as the creature bucked and spun angrily, trying not to lose his balance while attempting to somehow break through the metallic armor. Neither of them succeeded in their goals however, mostly on account of Roxas being too stubborn to let go, and the Heartless's steely protection too impervious to the Keyblade's strikes.

Since option "A" was dead, the Heartless went with option "B": summon help. The enemy delivered a piercing cry that reverberated throughout the forest, causing Roxas to clutch his splitting ears in agony. With teeth clenched and head pounding, Roxas couldn't be blamed for slipping when the Heartless suddenly decided to shift its giant head. The Nobody fell onto his side, frantically raking his Keyblades for a handhold on the way down. Finally, just as his body slid over the edge, one of them caught.

Not only was Roxas now face-to-face with one of the ugliest things he had ever seen in his short life, as he hung from the Heartless's head, he realized there was a whole horde of smaller fungal creatures spinning towards him with deadly sharp legs. They zoomed in like helicopters, mocking him with vicious chattering as they prepared to slice into his helpless body.

However, if these Heartless had even half the brain power possessed by Ed the Hyena, they might have realized that Roxas was anything but helpless, especially when he was cornered or angry. And in this case, both.

Roxas glared back at them hatefully, a plan already taking shape on his mind. He was going to wait until the last possible second. And then... Well, they would find out.

The armored fungus-arachnid held Roxas steady, seeming to grin evilly at him as its underlings drew near. Roxas imagined that was about as smug as an expressionless face could get_. Smile all you want_, he thought, counting down the seconds. Steady...steady...

_Now!_

Roxas unhooked his Keyblade, dropping to the ground just as the fleet of Heartless tore into the air where he used to be. The airborne Heartless were caught off guard by the elementary maneuver, but they recovered quickly, managing to pull out with only minor scratches to the big one, which subsequently roared in outrage. They scattered and then adjusted their trajectory, homing back in on their spiky-haired target.

_That's fine with me_, Roxas thought, _I was planning on most of you guys surviving anyway._

Roxas bent his knees as they came ever closer, extremely aware that his next maneuver was entirely dependent on his being able to time everything just right. Too early or too late, he would be a pile of finely diced minced meat. What a comforting thought.

The slipstream created from the Heartless's propeller like legs kicked his hair up in every which direction as they circled him. Moments later, the boldest of the mushroom creatures made the first move. Roxas responded with what he liked to refer to as "ninja reflexes". A perfect back flip took the ex-Organization member clear above the razor sharp appendages as he relinquished his grip on one Keyblade. With his free hand, Roxas grabbed onto the Heartless passing directly below him, pulling himself close so the thing couldn't shake him off.

_You're mine now,_ thought Roxas haughtily. "Now you do what I want you to do." And with a grin that looked just a little bit too happy, Roxas used his body weight to force the Heartless into turning back on its buddies, whooping loudly the whole way.

Some of his adversaries took the predictable head-on approach, while those that circled around met the pointy end of Roxas's Strike Raid. Either way, bits of fungus were sent flying as the hijacker practically mowed the other Heartless down. Glowing pink hearts were rising left and right, and Roxas seemed to be in the clear.

Then he got that unsettling feeling in his gut. The one that creeps up on you when everything seems great; usually right before something inexplicably goes wrong.

"Aahhh!" hissed Roxas when a sharp, scorching pain shot up his shoulder blade. He glanced behind him to see what had caused the phenomena. His eyes fell upon a whole flock of Air Pirates, all racing as fast as their wings could take them in hopes of sinking their battle-worn swords into his flesh.

Right on cue. These Heartless never made things easy for him.

Roxas bobbed and weaved through the dense jungle in an effort to escape them, massive trunks and mushroom clusters racing past him on a blur. He ducked to the side to avoid a swipe from an Air Pirate, but wound up getting sliced by two sidestrokes from another. Roxas was twisting and turning now with hardly any idea where he was, owing to the thickening cloud of Heartless that just seemed to keep up with his every movement. He ground his teeth in agony as his back suffered several more wounds. Blinking back tears of pain, Roxas struck blindly out behind him, only a few _whoosh_ing sounds of dispatched Heartless awarding the effort.

However, the gap was quickly filled with more eager demons, completely trapping Roxas on all sides, above and below. The Nobody desperately needed a way out of this, fast. And he really did not feel like waiting until he had taken so much damage that his Limit Break would activate.

Then, as it so often does in the bleakest of times, throughout the whirlwind of leathery bat wings and dull-gleaming swords came his only answer. That answer came to him in the form of a single word. Up ahead, flanked by a posse of hovering minions, was an enormous, armored mushroom Heartless. The very _same _armored mushroom Heartless.

The word was _kamikaze_.

Roxas acted quickly, angling his ride in the direction of the huge arachnoid and aiming for a direct collision course. It was not at all an impossible move for someone like him, but it was still a reckless choice. His_ only_ reckless choice, naturally. Roxas squeezed his blue eyes shut, tensing his body for impact and enduring another round of fiery pain as best he could.

At their leader's command, the smaller Heartless moved between it and Roxas for protection, but they were hardly of any concern. The wind filled Roxas's ears as their shredded bodies melted into darkness around him. It was just him and the big one now. For extra measure, Roxas launched a firaga ball from the tip of his Keyblade right before he collided with the creature's main body.

With the combined effect of the smaller mushroom's speed and sharp legs, and let's not forget the detonating fireball, the larger and once-imposing mega fungus promptly combusted with the force of no less than a couple of C4s.

Roxas had jumped at the last second, the explosion shooting him up in the air like an arrow as hands of writhing flame reached up to grab him, and a wall of hot air burst from the spot below, expanding all across the tropical forest. Whatever Air Pirates were unlucky enough to avoid the mini supernova were either burnt to cinders on impact, or left to struggle painfully in the air as the fire ate at their bodies. Many of the tricky creatures lost their wings before plummeting down with silent screams of misery.

Still rising through the fungus-lined canopy, Roxas removed his forearm from the vicinity of his face so he could get a peek at the mayhem he'd created. The blaze of the main explosion was fading, but quite a few enflamed Air Pirates and mushroom Heartless were lighting up the forest like ghostly lanterns on Halloween. Jack Skellington would have probably loved to see this, but Roxas could tell him all about it later. He was just scanning the ground for Sora when his concentration was broken by an extraordinarily dark shadow moving into his field of vision.

The cloud like mass of darkness was every bit as deep as the pit of the black hole the crew has escaped the other day. Aside from that, it even appeared to be moving, both within itself and towards his position. Roxas barely had time to recognize the bat like Heartless before the bubbling congregation of hooks and wings broke out in full swarm.

He didn't even have time to summon a reaction of some sort; Roxas's vision went completely black as hundreds of screeching bats hit him like a hurricane, scratching at his face and sinking their needle like fangs into his neck and body. Roxas flailed and screamed his throat raw as they shredded past him in a continuous wave, using the curved hooks on their rears to score deep gashes in his flesh. The sound of shrill cries and beating wings overpowered his senses like a tidal wave. For a second, Roxas's panicked mind thought he was going to drown in the unbearable, excruciating pain. Already he felt as if he were losing his grasp on reality. Finally, just as his mind began fading away, something he had definitely not expected the Heartless to do actually happened. They dropped him.

_But, that doesn't make any sense_, he vaguely mused as his body tumbled down. Something broke his fall with a jolt, and Roxas weakly lifted his head to see that he was being held up by the armpits by a set of Air Pirates. A few yards in front of him hovered another one. Probably the only survivors.

_A formal execution?,_ he wondered._ That's not their style..._

Roxas found himself too weak to resist. He hung heavily, breathing hard as the third Air Pirate readied its blade. _Let them think I'm beaten_, thought Roxas. He waited as his time ticked down, searching deep within himself for his last reserves of strength...

"...!"

Like a flash from a forgotten nightmare, the winged executioner charged him, blade drawn back in preparation for the kill. Roxas took a deep breath, arms and abdominals screaming as he forced them to shift his weight. Just as his attacker was upon him, Roxas kicked its body with his feet, using it to complete his back flip. His arms twisted out of the other Heartless's grip, and Roxas called forth his Keyblades just in time to tear open the body of his would-be killer.

For a moment, Roxas let himself fall limply, wondering what would happen if he just stayed that way. It'd be nice... No more fighting. All this pain would end...

_Then what did Axel die for?_

The question grew within him like a flame. A light in the darkness. Roxas could swear his exhausted mind was hallucinating, but he thought he heard the voice of his old best friend.

_"When are ya' gonna stop slackin' off, Roxas? You've got more work to do today... Don't give me that look, get up!"_

Roxas opened his eyes as he fell. _You're not finished yet_. That's right, Sora could be in trouble. Reluctantly, the Nobody dragged his unwilling body to do what he wanted. Angling himself towards a nearby mushroom tree, he used the momentum of his flip to drive Oblivion deep into the trunk. The sudden jolt nearly tore his arm from its socket, but Roxas ground his teeth against the pain signals his entire body was sending him.

After much struggling, Roxas finally managed to swing himself so he stood on Oblivion's flat side. The back of his throat was cold and sore from his short, hoarse breaths, and black and purple blotches were sprouting before his already unfocused eyes. Roxas's battered body automatically slumped against the trunk behind him, every fiber and cell screaming for a moment's rest; a moment that would certainly not be enough. He blinked open dull eyes; finally realizing that pounding noise was not only originating from his skull, but also from below.

There, about forty or so feet to the ground, Roxas spotted Sora crouched in his typical defensive stance, constantly shifting his gaze from one side to the other. This obviously made perfect sense, because on either side of Sora were two of those thorny, armored giants.

The sight shot through Roxas like a bullet. Two! It had taken almost all of their combined energy to defeat one!

Both creatures were already set on fire, but neither were injured nor enflamed enough to really be affected. They swung at Sora's comparatively diminutive figure with their spiked mace-hands, each blow coming dangerously close to tearing off an important part of his body.

On closer examination, the poor kid looked just about ready to pass out. His gaze was bleak and face pale, Keyblade hanging low from trembling hands. Sora was used to fighting with friends alongside him; Roxas felt regretful for having left him. Using so much fire magic must have also drained the mana from his system... In short, Sora was barely a few minutes from meeting his untimely end.

No, make that seconds. Roxas caught movement from above, and the pictures his eyes were sending him were enough to send chills down his spine. The bat Heartless from earlier had decided to come back to satisfy the undeniable urge to kill. And of course, as Roxas's luck would have it, they were all targeting Sora as the victim of their swarm.

Roxas glanced down just in time to see one of the Heartless' devastating attacks make contact. In a frozen moment, Sora was knocked square in the chest- a perfect shot.

Roxas visibly flinched as Sora's breathless gasp echoed around inside him. Over and over and over...

The boy's body flew right into the trunk of a mushroom tree with a force human bones were never meant to withstand. His back slid until he hit the ground; head hanging low as he drifted into unconsciousness.

Roxas could instantly feel the unquenchable anger bubbling up inside him. Yes, it was anger, no, rage, and he could feel it. A new power was coursing through his veins; something that felt very familiar. Tendrils of white-blue light snaked from his arms, bathing his Keyblades in a holy glow. Roxas locked onto the cone of bats rushing down to finish off the helpless boy.

Weakness long forgotten, Roxas back flipped so he was now crouching horizontally on the tree. Oblivion resummoned and crossed with Oathkeeper on either side of him, Roxas literally launched himself faster than a missile towards the cloud of Heartless, screaming like a vengeful demon, "SORAAAAAA!"

The bullet of silver that was Roxas entered the living body of darkness with unstoppably fury. He held nothing back, striking without pause. Each swing unleashed surges of searing light, disintegrating dozens of bats at a time. The more Roxas attacked, the more he screamed. Pillars of the brightest, purest light revolved and shot out from him, sharply cutting down their numbers as Roxas continued moving in a maelstrom of assaults.

Meanwhile, down below, the eight-foot thorned giants watched as Roxas's Limit Break obliterated the entire swarm of bats in the span of mere moments. Any Heartless that tried to flee were hunted and purged by the radiant beams emanating from the teen's body. Though the huge monsters had tried shooting their thorn-studded arms at Roxas, they had really only succeeded in ending several of their winged comrades. But they didn't have to wait for long. Roxas would soon come to them.

Roxas fell through the air gracefully, shockwaves of blue and silver rushing away from him as he landed directly between the twin Goliaths. Crouched close to the ground, Roxas was absolutely still, until, with white fire ignited in his eyes, he lifted his head. The light around him pulsed and vibrated to mirror the intensity of the wrath he felt. If his opponents had hearts, they would have shuddered at the sight of his bared teeth. But they didn't. Instead, they held out their arms, took aim briefly, and fired.

As the vine-hard balls of shrapnel hurtled towards him, Roxas dashed out of the way with inhuman speed. Four heavy fists of thorns made a massive crater on the ground where Roxas had been standing, but he was long gone. While the Heartless were occupied with reeling in their detachable arms, the enraged Nobody took the opportunity to hack aggressively at their slightly burnt armor.

Sharp clanging noises knifed through the atmosphere as Roxas unleashed a barrage with the repetitive integrity of a machine gun, bright sparks flying in all directions from the friction he was causing. The shock his arms were taking from the constant string of impacts was making them go painfully numb, but Roxas ignored it, only focusing on the small chips he was gradually subtracting from the Heartless's armor.

_Snap_. The other Heartless had completely reeled in its arms. Roxas had less than five seconds before the thing fired a shot directly at him, and that was exactly what he was counting on. He grunted savagely with the effort of each strike, a good sized dent becoming apparent in the Heartless's armor.

Finally, the humanoid fortress behind Roxas lined its arm up with the boy's hovering body, firing off its veritable ball-and-chain fist with absolute certainty. Roxas sensed the weapon's path through the air, leaping high above the impact zone as the deadly cannonball hurtled by...

...and right into the crater on the other Heartless's chest.

The monster howled as foot-thick thorns were driven deep into its pectorals with a dull thud. A spider web of cracks split along its breastplate of vines, being torn apart even further by the other Heartless's clumsy attempts to dislodge its weapon. After nearly dragging its fellow giant across the mossy ground, the frustrated creature at last managed to rip the spike ball from its friend's chest. Roxas immediately moved in to sever the connective vine, then rushed at the wounded one, roaring madly as he sank his glowing Keyblades through the creature's last layer of protection.

The resulting aguish caused the hulking beast to stagger backwards, right before its afflicted mind told it to lash out with all the ferocity it had. Roxas clung to his Keyblades, which were still sunken into the Heartless's flesh as it blindly swung at the air around it. Unfortunately for the other monster, one of the outraged creature's strikes made contact with part of its body. Now that the afflicted Heartless had found something to attack, it quickly proceeded to rain blow upon blow on its ally. This in turn provoked the second Heartless to fight back in self-defense.

Roxas dived away just in time as the behemoth launched it's only remaining arm at point-blank range. The wounded Heartless was consequently pummeled into the ground, and Roxas took the opportunity to cut apart that connective vine as well.

This battle was finally starting to shift in his favor. One Heartless had almost completely lost the advantage of armor, and the other had no wrecking-ball- sized hands left to launch. Roxas had only one thing left to do, and he was going to do it before his enemies started to regenerate or something ridiculous like that.

The blonde stood on the battle-scarred earth as a final, expanding ball of concentrated energy rose up from inside him. The air pulsed with electrifying power, Roxas relaxing as he allowed the unhindered light of his Final Limit to slowly lift him off the ground. Blinding white beams leaked out of his every pore until the outline of Roxas's body was completely obscured by the star like glare. Violent torrents of wind rushed all directions, and even larger pillars of light began to materialize around the Nobody before being launched with the force of a hurricane.

Both Heartless were relentlessly battered with wave after wave of luminous columns, the sheer amount of pressure and wave vibration beginning to literally shake their foundations loose. Bits of ultra-dense exoskeleton crumbled and flew away, causing the nightmarish creatures increasing pain as the light singed any exposed matter. Roxas let the power flow; visible extensions of his anger and the very core of his being that continued to appear and rush away in an accelerating crescendo. The pillars of light continued to come; again and again and again, seeming to last forever, until finally, the last shafts of light blazed their scorch marks across the ground.

Roxas descended back onto the moss below, then strode on unsteady feet past the motionless bodies on either side of him. The Nobody had nearly reached his limit today, and he was determined to at least make sure Sora was okay before allowing himself to pass out. In his weariness, Roxas did not notice the sound of tiny fluttering wings rising up behind him...

Sora's mind was half asleep, in some kind of transitional phase that was neither completely awake nor unconscious. He was currently experiencing an odd weightless sensation, as if he were being cradled by a tranquil pool of water. Sora vaguely knew that he must be sleeping, and he found the feeling so peaceful that he just wanted to float in it forever. Unfortunately, a very odd kind of sound kept drawing his attention, like some kind of nagging worry that wouldn't leave him alone. It was like the sound of hundreds of butterflies, but much sharper, with a kind of metallic scything noise to it. Sora tried dismissing it, but the grating only became more intense, and before he could stop it, the sound grabbed him and threw him headfirst back into the world.

The very first thing Sora experienced was pain. It was wrapped around his abdomen and backbone like barbed wire; shattered chest bones, broken ribs and ruptured veins. Sora might have screamed, but his lungs were crushed. Instead, he made what sounded more like a weak gasp.

As the blinding flashes finally left his vision, Sora realized that he was sitting against something, and that it was dark. Where was he again? And why was he in so much pain?

Treasure. It had something to do with treasure...and mushrooms. Something else, too... Heartless? Heartless... Of course! The battle. He was in the mushroom jungle on Treasure Planet, the last thing he could remember being that something had knocked the wind out of him before his vision had gone black. Now if only something could explain that persistent noise...

Sora twitched feebly, trying to shift his body so that he could lift up his head. Every square centimeter of him throbbed in protest; a fantastically painful phenomena Sora had almost forgotten was possible. He was careful not to push himself too hard: any amount of shock would send him right back to dreamland in his current state. Slowly, wincing in searing agony, Sora managed to coax his aching neck out of its bowed position.

Squinting through the darkness, he thought he could make out Roxas's form trudging slowly towards him. The Nobody seemed ragged and drained. Had he defeated the remaining Heartless all by himself?

Sora then focused on the lumpy blurs behind Roxas, eventually realizing they were the bodies of the plantlike giants from before. It took several long seconds for Sora's mind to calculate the information and realize why that was so wrong. His eyes shot wide, for two reasons. One was that it didn't make sense: the Heartless's bodies were fading at an anomalously slow rate, something that had never happened before. As for number two- Sora had found the source of that noise.

There, rising from the unburnt insides of the deceased Heartless was a full swarm of tiny creatures whose wings hummed a dreadful tune. Each one had a single-segmented spore like body, with sharp wings that glistened like silver knives in the starlight. In his sleepwalking state, Roxas did not seem to notice them as they congregated into a massive cloud behind him.

Sora was fret with worry. He tried warning Roxas, but all he could make was another gasp. The Nobody must have realized something was happening, because he stopped walking and did a half-turn towards the new Heartless.

The miniature creatures dashed in all directions, swarming in the air like a family of wasps as they coordinated their flight patterns into long, writhing tentacles. Sensing that their prey was alone, the entire body of hovering spores moved as one, descending onto Roxas with overpowering numbers. The blonde swung his Keyblades at them with what little energy he had left, but that only eliminated maybe ten out of a thousand as the majority dodged the blade and continued their assault. Roxas staggered and then fell to his knees, protecting vital areas like his head and throat while the relentless spores ravaged his clothes and skin with thousands of paper-thin gashes. Roxas involuntarily groaned, his entire body seeming to catch fire as the Heartless injected a potent venom through their wings.

Sora reached into his pocket and uncorked a bottle of Hi-potion as fast as his wounds would allow him, forcing the bitter liquid down his throat. He choked down a gag, ignoring the aching pain as he shifted his weight to his knees. Now for the hardest part. Sora hoped he could do it, for Roxas's sake.

He summoned his Keyblade and dug the tip into the ground, using it for support as he rose on shaking legs. Sora swayed as a wave of nausea passed over him, determined not to fall. His still-mending bones disagreed with him, however, and the punishment they were sending him was completely indescribable. _Man_ that hurt! But Sora smiled anyway; he was doing it.

"Come on," he breathed, looking up at the Heartless, "I know you want me. Well, I'm right here! Right in front of you! You want my heart? Then come and take it!" Sora's brotherly feelings of protection over Roxas made his heart shine brighter, instantly drawing the Heartless's attention like moths to light. They left Roxas to fall in a heap on the ground, moving instead to a much tastier meal.

Sora braced himself as they buzzed around him in a hurricane of spikes and dust, reaching into one pocket to retrieve a small, glimmering object.

Roxas blinked his eyes open halfway, stirring slightly on the ground. He must have had tunnel vision or something, because the edges of his eyesight were dim and things kept blurring in and out of focus. _Aren't I...dead yet?_ he wondered numbly. Curious, he lifted his head an inch off the ground, summoning all his remaining will just to do so. Anything more strenuous was beyond him right now; his arms and neck were already trembling silently.

Looking ahead with heavy eyes, Roxas despaired when he saw the swarm of spore Heartless where Sora used to be. He couldn't believe it. Roxas was totally depleted of energy, overwhelmed with pain, and now too late to save his friend. It was like a metric ton of lead weight had been dropped on him. He had never before felt so completely and utterly defeated.

_Sora..._"Dang..."

Roxas could only watch and contemplate his failure as the vengeful creatures tore the young Sora to shreds.

Then, something happened within the spiral of chattering blades. It began as a spark, then spread into a raging flame as each and every Heartless lit up like a candle all at once. The blazing torrent of all-consuming fire took on a spinning motion of its own, reaching over a hundred feet high as its light outshined all of the stars above. A blast of hot wind blew over Roxas's body, and he used his arm to shield his burning eyes from the offending light of the flaming tower.

Finally, after the blazing flood of heat had receded, Roxas slowly lifted his head, thoroughly confused as to how that had happened. He'd never seen a fire attack of such magnitude performed by anyone other than Axel... Had Sora been the cause of it?

Smoldering red embers drifted like snow in the air. A figure stopped directly in front of him, but Roxas didn't look up to see who. This was because he was staring, wide-eyed, at something else.

There, sitting right in front of his face, was a Chakram.

The figure stooped to pick Roxas up. Slinging the boy's arm over its shoulders, it stood up once more. Roxas grimaced against the pain; head hanging low as it brushed up against the figure's abnormally warm fabric. Roxas wanted to look up, but he was unsure if he was ready. It was impossible, illogical. He knew it didn't make sense, and yet...

Finally, he could wait no longer. It felt like a dream as Roxas numbly lifted his head, looking up with a sliver of that ridiculous hope: that maybe, somehow, it might be _him_.

For a moment, Roxas's mind projected what he wanted to see. There was a flash of a familiar face; blazing red hair, teardrop tattoos, slender catlike eyes of emerald, and that cocky smirk. But then those features morphed, becoming younger and boyish. Green eyes grew rounder and deepened to blue. Crimson spikes turned brown.

"Sora...? But..." Roxas gazed back down in utter bewilderment at the Bond of Flames Keyblade that Sora was holding in his other hand, which was wrapped around the Nobody's waist. The Keyblade sharply resembled two Eternal Flames Chakrams connected by a thin hourglass design, the only difference being that some of the spikes were missing. Roxas couldn't believe the similarities.

"Oh," said Sora when he realized what Roxas was looking at. "Yeah, Axel gave me that. It really boosts the power of fire magic... I-if you want me to, I can put it away..."

"No," replied Roxas quietly, "I'm glad you're using it."

Sora readjusted Roxas and stood a little taller. "So, does this make us even?

"You wish. I saved you twice," answered Roxas, noting Sora's gently trembling legs. "Besides, you're hardly any better off than I am."

"True," admitted Sora. Everything hurt like Hell, which was hardly an adequate description. Sora summoned his last vestiges of magic to lightly sprinkle them with a cool flow of healing light. He then allowed his Keyblade to vanish before setting off at a careful pace.

The two walked for what was probably half an hour, debating several times about which way to go while constantly trying not to trip on the tangled undergrowth. Roxas was leaning heavily on Sora, practically falling asleep at this point. At first Sora thought it was funny, but it eventually worsened to the point where he wasn't sure how much longer he was going to be able to carry Roxas.

"Man, you're heavier than you look, y'know," grunted Sora. Roxas mumbled something unintelligible under his breath, and Sora chuckled.

Eventually, the darkness of the forest was punctured by a ghostly neon green light shining through the tall fungus ahead of them. Sora stopped as they reached a narrow clearing, which was really more of a trail, and set Roxas down by a large rock. He then took the opportunity to catch his breath, hunching over with both hands on his knees and huffing madly.

"Phew... Alright,...that should lead us to where we have to go... Oh." Sora reached inside his pocket, withdrawing the large heart pendant. The green light emanating from the cracks on the heart's glassy surface appeared to be fading, and the device had begun to vibrate every few seconds.

"Time to go, huh?" said Roxas with heavy-lidded eyes.

"Yeah... Are you gonna be okay, Roxas?"

The boy grunted sleepily. "All I really need is rest. Sleeping on a Station of Awakening is as good as doing it in a hot spring. I'll be fine."

The pendant's rapid humming increased, as if it were on some kind of countdown. Bubbles of colored light began forming around Roxas, setting the teen aglow in a gentle aura. It seemed he was finally out of time.

"Alright... See ya later, then," said Sora as he held out the mystical object. "Get some sleep, okay?"

Roxas chuckled as a sense of disconnection tugged at his body. As if that would be a problem. At least Sora hadn't brought the Poke'mon joke back up. Finally, the light surrounding Roxas reached a blinding frequency, and he relaxed this time as his body slowly disintegrated into thousands of tiny orbs, which then converged upon Sora like racing fireworks.

Sora opened his eyes once the phosphorescent flares had finally died down, staring at the sunset-colored pendant in his hand. The cracks in the heart snapped together with a click and the wings folded back once more, the pendant's job done. He looked on with what might have been a tinge of sadness before placing the pendant back into his pocket and setting off through the forest, following the pulsing trail of light towards what he hoped was his friends.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

* * *

Roxas stepped through the silver door that had brought him back into his station of awakening. For some reason, the thing hadn't ejected him so violently this time. Maybe it was because he didn't panic when he went back into Sora or something. Whatever. He couldn't care less.

Roxas simply let his knees buckle underneath him, already half asleep as his body fell to the ground. He needed this nap, and he was going to enjoy it.

Of all the thoughts that could have gone through his head at the time, Roxas for some reason remembered the clouded portrait on his Station's mural. It was as if something should have been there, someone he should have remembered.

_I wonder what that's for, anyway…_ thought Roxas as he fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

* * *

Back in the longboat, five sets of eyes turned their attention to a series of faraway flashes peeking over the canopy above. The glowing trail had long since lead them back to ground level, where they were now parked in the middle of a second forest. Almost the entire crew had left to continue the search on foot, taking Jim and BEN with them and leaving only one pirate to guard the prisoners. As it happened, the pirate was actually the large pinkish beast with demon's horns, a rather dense individual who felt most powerful when holding a gun, which he was. He mostly ignored them, however, scratching his round belly and daydreaming about all the self-indulgent things he could buy with his share of the treasure.

Skyra glanced behind her at Kairi and Riku, then back at the now darkened sky. "What the heck was all of that supposed to be about?"

Kairi responded first, but with another question. "You don't think that was...?"

"Sora?" asked Goofy hopefully.

"There's no doubt," said Riku with a small smile. "That has to be him."

_But that's impossible... how did he get so close?,_ thought Skyra.

She turned around inquiringly. Even though Riku's expression wasn't visible, she could see it in her mind. _He believes in that kid too_, she thought_. I swear they're all idiots, but..._ Skyra thought about that determined look in Sora's eyes earlier.

_Alright Keyblade Master, show me what you can do._..~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

* * *

**Hi Cheyenne! Thank you for reading this and for all the real-life support. Leave me a comment, okay?**

**Uuuuuugghhhhhhhh! SOO sorry for the delayed update. School life really hit me hard, and to top it all off, my iPad was taken away from me due to terrible math grades. Twice! I have all my chapters saved on there!**

**Axel: And let's not forget the fact that virtually no one even bothered to post a measly review for the last chapter. Don't forget that part. (smirks)**

**Me: (twitches) ...**

**Axel: (puts hands on my shoulder) Well? After all your hard work, how did that make you feel?**

**Me: (takes a deep, shuddering breath and looks away) ...I'm over that now.**

**Axel: Really? Are you sure about that?**

**Me: ...Yes.**

**Axel: (shoulders droop) So, you're not going to explode on them?**

**Me: No. I'm better than that.**

**Axel: Awww..**

**Me: But I will show you a scene that happened earlier on, not long after my last chapter updated.**

**Axel: Oh jeez.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

* * *

**Axel climbs up the stairs and turns to go into my room. He hears loud thumping noises as he gets closer to the door.**

**Axel: Hey! Crazy fangirl, where's the lighter fluid, and what's all that banging about? (He opens the door and sees me kicking the wall furiously)**

**Me: How DARE they not review! After over 7000 words written with meticulous care over the course of a month, all I get is one!**

***Thump, thump, thump!***

**Axel: Uhh... Are...you okay?**

**Me: Okay? OKAY? HAH, I'm just fine!**

***Thump, thump, thump, thump!***

**I'll show them... I'll show them all! AAAAgghHHHH!**

***Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump, thump, thump!***

**Axel: (backs up slowly, closing the door and trying to pretend that nothing ever happened)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

* * *

**Me: Sigh... Yes, this chapter mainly began in spite. Apparently, the empty threat I posted on the end of the last chapter didn't motivate anyone to review.**

**Axel: As a result, I will be haunting all your dreams tonight.**

**Me: I'm going to try and pretend that thought doesn't amuse me.**

**Axel: Good luck with that, fangirl.**

**Me: Whatever. But seriously people, I WANT to know your opinions. Was the last chapter good? Bad? Freaking tell me, guys! For the whole first week, I had absolutely no motivation to continue writing. But I've had so many amazing day dreams for the future of this story, and it's too beautiful to give up on!**

**Anyway, to make things a little more interesting, I will give you all a challenge. Below is a riddle, and I want you all to include with your comments what you think the answer is. There is only one answer as far as I'm concerned. Use your brains!**

**There are two doors. One leads to Heaven, and one to Hell. Beside the two doors are twins. They are exactly alike and there is no way for you to tell the difference between them. One of these twins will only tell lies, and the other will only tell you the truth. You can ask one of them ONE question only. How do you figure out which door leads to Heaven?**

**Good luck, and don't forget to review! ;D**

**ps: I AM NEVER GIVING UP ON THIS STORY!**


	14. Meltdown Imminent!

**Chapter 14: Meltdown Imminent**

**Hi! Welcome back everyone!**

**Heeheehee... It seems my last chapter was a smashing success! Five people answered my riddle... And three got it right. :( Kinda. The Infiniator deserves full credit for explaining his whole freaking answer, but Electrolisys seemed to know what they were talking about as well. Also, Crystal4458 said something along the lines of the correct answer, with some comedic input. Did you guys look it up off the internet, or did you already know? I will also tell the rest of you the answer at the end of the chapter.**

**Anyway, now it's time for reviews! (you might want to skip this one and go right to the story) AHHHHHHH! I love you all so much! I got, like, six reviews on/near the day I updated! Whoohoo! You guys should have seen me jumping up and down when I saw them. Thank you all so much! XD**

**Ultimate Black Ace- I honesty have no idea what you're talking about. What do you mean my OC's are too powerful? Skyra is a ninja warrior girl with knives and a tiny dragon, and hardly anything is known about Havok besides that he is very close to her in skill level. They're not really that crazy...yet. Besides, I can make them as strong as I want- even stronger than the Keyblade masters! However, that probably won't happen.**

**Electrolisys- Yeah, you pretty much got it right, though it wasn't completely explained. Whatever, this isn't school or anything. Good job!**

**Bond Of Flames08- Wow, thank you so much for your incredible review. Seriously, you and the Infiniator responded so quickly! Yeah, that whole scene was pretty interesting, the way it seemed like Axel was there. Aww... Poor Roxas. I so enjoy messing with my readers! XD**

**The Infiniator- Aww, it really is great that you want to keep reading this incredibly long fanfic. Again, I'm glad that last chapter helped to get you in gear for continuing your story. That makes me happy, too! Though you spent most of your response answering my riddle, I'm grateful that you could grace this seedling of a story with your presence! :D**

**Crystal4458- Another new reviewer! I'm glad you love it so far. Notice how the grammar gets BETTER as it goes on. My earlier chapters still annoy me... Anyway, keep writing your fanfic as well! (sorry, but I generally update every month, depending on whether or not life gets in the way)**

**And now, back to the story! That's why you all came here, right? I mean, who wants to sit there and watch me shoot off my mouth? Nobody, that's who! Haha, "Nobody", get it? That was a pun, everybody. XD**

**Axel (drops his head into his face): Why…? Just…why…?**

**And so, here it is! Chapter 14. Get ready for a huge surprise everybody...something none of you saw coming...~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

* * *

The brilliant glow of the moon cast its entrancing beams through the window of the Disney Castle library, where a certain mouse was hunched over a leather-bound book that was so thick it must have taken the entire trunk of a tree to create. The actual contents of the book were so fantastically boring, the tree itself would probably seem like so much fun by comparison. At least you could climb a tree...

King Mickey's eyes ached drily as they scanned the page, ultimately gleaning only the most basic points of the written text before he flipped to the next one. Needless to say, the King's quest to uncover any useful information regarding the ancient land of Arcadia had bore almost no fruit thus far. It was just day after day of sifting through dusty volumes of myth and legend, only to be rewarded with occasional references that were so frustratingly bare of details, all of which were questionable as to their validity. There was an obscure play that mentioned it, some unfinished novel which was considered a classic in one world. This, too, proved to be completely unhelpful.

All that could be found was a line of faded text in the oldest book they had: "And so, in order to buffer peace between the two sides, the light and the darkness, the mystical realm of Arcadia was created, its wonders too surreal for the denizens of the worlds."

From this, they learned...well, nothing. _If only Ansem the Wise were here_, thought Mickey. Maybe he would know something. He had been friends with Cyrus after all. But Ansem was not here, nor could he ever be. After disappearing in the explosion of his heart data machine in their last adventure, the aged man was presumably declared dead.

On another day, Mickey might have mourned the loss of his friend, or at least felt a little sorry, but he was getting nowhere, and it was very hard to feel anything when one is so tired they could drop. The mouse's eyes drooped as they repeated the same useless sentence over and over, the dull action quickly lulling him to sleep...

"Rooroo, ruff!" Mickey jumped clear out of his chair as the sudden burst of howling. "Pluto! What is it, boy?"

Sitting up on the ground, Mickey tiredly rubbed the vestiges of micro sleep from his eyes as the pale orange dog did several laps around him, barking excitedly all the way. It took at least five minutes for the King to get his pet-slash-best friend to calm down enough that he noticed his collar around his neck. Beaming proudly, Pluto allowed Mickey to slip out the piece of paper that had been placed there. Its edges were singed and most of it was burnt off, but there appeared to be some perfectly legible writing on it.

Mickey's eyebrows jumped at the word "Arcadia", and then he stuck his nose even closer to the paper, absorbing the information and then reading it all over again, just to be sure. The mouse put a gloved hand on his forehead, as if unable to believe the thing he was holding. Finally, he found the words to speak. "Pluto... How did you find this?"

Pluto responded with a series of wild barks and animated body motions, all of which Mickey seemed to understand. "It just appeared? But who could have sent it? " He stood, then looked down at an unappreciated looking Pluto. "Haha, I'm sorry, boy," he said, rubbing Pluto's head. "You're a good dog! I'll let you have a piece of that cake after all, I promise!"

Pluto jumped with glee as King Mickey dashed out of the library in a hurry. His cake privileges reinstated, Pluto then proceeded to seek out the slice that he had previously stolen, and as he chewed, thought with satisfaction of the second slice he would receive later.

King Mickey held the burnt paper carefully as he dashed through the decorative hallways, the words written upon it echoing powerfully in his mind.

_...And so I have scattered these objects, imbued with the power of the Guardians who answer only to a Divine will, to stand sentinel over the secrets of Arcadia forever. They are the separate fragments of a key, one that will show you a door but not open it. This is the best solution, for to collect these objects, one would have to not only find them, but also face what force lies within. Of course, only the worthiest of Hearts can unlock their power, so that the door may be opened only when the Balance faces its direst of days._

_The path to the new worlds has closed behind me, and shall remain so for the good of all. No meddlers can interfere; I am afraid that my journey is finally over._

_-Cyrus Report # 10_

* * *

Sora walked parallel to the emerald green stream of light, which was floating a few feet above head level through the forest. The trail pulsed rapidly now, excited and frantic like a beating heart as it lead him ever closer to the legendary treasure. Eerie hands of odd fungal growth stretched around him, and eventually Sora was met with a thick cluster of bamboo like plants. The ethereal snake of light lead directly into it, so Sora began pushing his way through as the bright orange flashes beat faster and faster above his head.

The cylindrical stalks whacked stiffly back into place as he passed through the darkness, until at last Sora could see the dim sky on the other side. He thought he could hear nearby voices and some rustling, and then everything suddenly went quiet. Peeking between two stalks into the small clearing beyond, Sora noticed two things.

One, that the entire crew, plus Jim and Ben were all standing stock-still on flat, moss covered land that led to a pointed cliff. It was as if the sight before them had drained the excitement clean out of their bodies. And that was because of reason number two.

The beating ribbon of light wound out of the mushroom forest, shooting straight out to the edge of the cliff...and then stopped. It sat there, pulsing quickly above their heads, as if the rest of it had been cut from the air by an invisible pair of scissors. Sora stared with them, at the world of treasure that should have been there: Flint's lost trove.

Perhaps it really was lost after all.

The trail they had all followed so faithfully exploded without warning, breaking into millions of tiny fireflies and retreating back into Jim's map. The metal sphere clicked shut in his hand, refusing to be opened not matter how hard he twisted it.

"Uh-oh," muttered Sora, watching the scene unfold. The mood instantly sank into a boiling pot of concentrated discontent, the gang of grotesque pirates expressing their murderous intentions with harsh murmurs that quickly rose to discordant notes of steaming anger. The tall and husky Mr. Silver seemed to be questioning Jim intensely as the situation around them escalated, but the bewildered teen had no idea how to answer as he struggled in vain to reopen the map. The restless crew was becoming even more restless, one of the smaller ones pouncing on Jim and making him crash into the ground.

With the way the crew was behaving, it seemed that Jim wasn't going to last much longer. Sora almost rushed out to help him, but right before the other pirates descended on the boy, something else occurred that made them freeze. Jim took a close look at the hard earth below him, and then placed the copper sphere into what appeared to be some kind of indent. Without delay, a brilliant wave of luminous neon green spread from the map's position, marking the ground with ancient circular runes that shone brilliantly through the moss.

The crew breathed a collective gasp of awe as a globe like projection rose from four points on the ground below. Spiraling galaxies, planets and stars were suspended within the projection, framed by hundreds of crisscrossing green lines, like the latitude and longitudinal sections of an atlas.

It now became apparent that they were actually standing on a huge, moss-covered sheet of metal.

Beyond the cliff was an expansive canyon of flat lowlands. From seven points near the base of another ridge came seven enormous rays of light. They rocketed along the ground, meeting like the folds of a fan at the cliff's point, and then rising into the sky before them in a single beam of green energy. The crew was stunned into silence, as if oppressed by a giant hand. With another breath of awe they watched as the beam of light split, its energy morphing until it had three corners, giving off a majestic flash it settled into an elongated triangle before them. Its point stretched hundreds and hundreds of feet into the air, standing twice as tall as its base was wide.

They were like tiny mice before its tremendous size; one could even fit the Legacy comfortably inside it. The space inside the triangle's glowing frame became a massive window, blazing in the early morning darkness with an overwhelming light. Sora's jaw slackened at the sight, for within the triangle's borders was a breathtaking nebula. Right there in front of them. The glowing collection of space dust shimmered an amazing violet-blue, its waves of light much resembling the patterns that water often reflects on its surroundings.

It was then that Jim, a black silhouette from Sora's point of view, did something. Examining the spherical hologram of the universe, the boy touched another coordinate on the map. Instantly the triangle winked like a television screen changing the channel, the curtain of electricity opening again to reveal many floating crystalline structures in the atmosphere of some planet.

"A big door..." muttered Sora, recalling BEN's words. Jim pressed another coordinate, and the portal again changed to show a desert in a raging storm of red sand. Odd tubelike rock formations curved up from the ground, the bleak light of sunset casting a desolate glow across the land. "...opening and closing..."

_This must have been what BEN was talking about!_ Did this portal somehow lead to the treasure?

Jim took a moment to search the holo map more thoroughly, identifying several solar systems before finally selecting another point. The triangle opened and closed, this time revealing a scene in the middle of space, with only a thin crescent moon structure floating in the starry canvas. Hundreds of ships were docking and flying away from the place. It was the Montresser space port; Jim had told them about it before.

Sora felt a sudden déjà vu, and it took him a moment to remember that he had caught a glimpse of this exact scene before. It had been right before the Gummiship had been sucked into the wormhole that had led them here... Sora had stared deep into the depths of the void, and had seen a crescent moon within a green triangle.

_That's how Flint did it..._

Snapping back into the present, Sora became conscious of the fact that Silver was becoming increasingly frustrated. The bulky cyborg pushed Jim out of his way, pressing coordinates at random. The portal flashed rapidly, flicking to prehistoric landscapes, strange civilizations and savage creatures. Silver's voice then became audible to Sora, growling something about where the treasure could be.

BEN clutched his head again, scouring his memory for the information that was no longer there. He repeated that phrase again, the effort seeming to hurt him, "It's buried...in the centroid..."

"The centroid of the mechanism," finished Jim, a sparkle appearing in the depths of his eyes. "What if this planet IS the mechanism?" he wondered aloud. "Then that means...that the treasure is buried in the center of this planet!"

The gang of pirates shared a raptured look amongst themselves, then all dove to the ground at once, digging faster than a meerkat in the Pride Lands. Several of them whimpered in surprise however, when their hands and weapons clashed with the impassive metal below.

Mr. Silver was livid. "And how in blue blazes are we supposed to get there?"

Jim moved in front of him, finding a tiny three dimensional model of Treasure Planet. "Just...open the right door."

He tapped it, and the portal instantly changed. However, instead of becoming a doorway to Treasure Planet, the massive triangle opened up into an enormous enclosed space, the likes of which Sora had never seen. Beyond the triangular gate, the walls within arched in an impossible way, as if the massive room were a shaped like a sphere.

Sora watched as Jim walked slowly forward, cautiously touching the screen of light with his hand and finding that it passed through. With a gentle crackle of green energy Jim pushed the rest of his body in, barely having time to marvel at how easy it was before Mr. Silver cuffed a basketball-sized hand on his shoulder. The rest of the pirates quickly followed, leaving Sora alone behind the cover of bamboo fungi.

The boy thought hard, deep blue eyes glistening in the light of the portal. It was obvious that Donald, Goofy, Kairi, Riku and Skyra weren't here, so they must have been left behind with the longboat. From here, there were two options immediately available to him. He could either go back and rescue the others first, or try to get Jim away from Silver and then head back.

He seriously considered the first option, knowing that if he pressed forward, it would have to be alone. The only problem: the weariness from the previous battle was taking full effect, and trekking through the forest again would only be a waste of time.

And then there was another thing, something so dark he didn't even want to consider it. Now that Silver and his savage crew had found their treasure at last, how much longer until Jim outlived his usefulness? Would...would Silver really...

He shuddered.

Could Silver find it in him to actually kill Jim? Or would the crew do it, if he ever lost his control over them?

Sora wanted to believe in Silver but... No, it was too much of a risk. Sora straightened, eyes hardening in resolve. Jim had priority. He would just have to find a way to get past the pirates. Once he was sure they wouldn't notice him coming from behind, Sora stepped out of the cluster of tall fungi and made a dash for the enormous portal, ignoring the deep burning in his overworked legs.

He slowed as he reached the green filter of light, closing his eyes as an odd tingling sensation spread over him. Both feet clacked on the bronze metal floor; he was now completely on the other side. Looking at his upturned hands, Sora took a moment to give himself a once-over, then turned back to the giant gateway behind him. Beyond it, the massive mushroom trees stood tall and dark, the forest still as silent as before.

_Good,_ he thought. His escape route assured, Sora turned and ran one fluid motion...and then a few steps later, froze right on the spot.

The sight before him literally stole the breath from his lips. Sora stared, utterly transfixed by the sheer vastness of the treasure. It was unreal, totally incomparable. The Cave of Wonders itself was an insignificant speck next to this!

Obscuring every square centimeter of the artificial core was sea of gold coins, decoratively gilded chests, swords, artifacts, and jewels of all kinds and shapes. Name anything that held a high dollar value, it was there. They formed small mountains and ripples along the surface, glimmering true to their namesake, the Loot of a Thousand Worlds.

The core itself was probably a mile in circumference, revolving slowly as it floated in midair, the very heart of Treasure Planet. Long mechanical structures were fixed like stalactites on the ceiling a hundred feet above and all around. As the core rotated, purple beams of energy regularly burst out of these structures, traveling into deep, porous chasms on the core's surface. If Sora were to guess at their function, he would say that it was to keep the gravitational field normal.

Sora nervously scanned the mounds of glittering gold for Jim. The pirates seemed to be having much more fun in comparison, literally playing in the fields of treasure and whooping with joy. Sora raised an eyebrow. It felt weird to see them all so...happy.

More importantly, he realized, Jim did not seem to be around. He spotted Mr. Silver, who was kneeling in the carpet of gold some ten yards away, but Jim wasn't with him, either.

Maybe he got away from him, thought Sora. Silver did seem pretty distracted. Sora searched the blinding landscape, knowing that James Hawkins had to be around there somewhere...

Finally, a small speck of movement caught his eyes, and relief washed through him when he saw that it was Jim. The older boy, along with BEN, was climbing aboard an aged ship, which had been slumbering atop the frozen gold-crested waves for untold centuries. _That guy. Is a genius_, thought Sora incredulously. If anyone could get that old craft flying again, it would be Jim hands down. Sora headed for the abandoned pirate ship, careful not to slide on the shifting floor of coins along the way.

All the while, no one had bothered to notice the laser motion sensor, a crimson line which ran the length of the portal's entrance at ankle level. The lights on the sensory receptors blinked red, beeping their hushed alarm.

Treasure Planet would not take kindly to intruders...

Sora at long last arrived at the smaller, more agile looking ship, which was set at a slight angle amongst the mounds of treasure. He leaped up and grabbed onto the edge of the railing, using it to pull himself up in an acrobatic front flip.

Jim tensed as Sora touched down on the wood, but then relaxed when he realized it was him. "Sora? Man, how did you even find this place?"

He gave a lighthearted shrug and scratched the back of his head. "I followed the trail, same as you. How I got here...well, heheh...that's a much longer story."

Jim nodded, turning back to quite a large collection of paragon. "Take a look at this," he said in a strange tone. It was awed, and yet oddly subdued, not quite fear. Unnerved, Sora obeyed.

The floor behind the wheel was piled with riches and jewels of every kind- a hoard of valuable chests, swords, and gold chalices. All of it mounded up to the armrests of a throne like chair. And in the shadows, sitting in the chair was a figure, gaunt and sinister like death itself.

Sora's eyes went wide with horror. "I-Is that..."

"Captain Flint himself," answered Jim soberly.

"In the flesh!" exclaimed BEN. "Minus skin, organs, and anything that...resembles flesh... That's not there..."

Jim's eyes searched the upright corpse of gnarled marrow. The old captain was still dressed in a finely woven coat, a three-sided Captain's hat perched upon his angular, six-eyed skull. It stared out eerily, the alien bone locked in a perpetual expression of hatred, complete with a set of long, fang like incisors. The boy's gaze trailed down to Flint's arm, where skeletal fingers clutched what looked like a small device of some sort.

Curious, Jim broke whatever metaphysical wall that might have been there and stepped forward, intending to rip the thing right out of Flint's grasp. The calcium metacarpals crumbled away easily, and Jim studied the object more closely.

It seemed to be a piece of exposed circuitry and wire, partially covered by a frame of copper metal. Jim looked at the fragment of machinery, then suddenly up at BEN, who was staring off and mumbling something to himself.

"Hold still," commanded Jim as he grabbed the back of the robot's flat-topped head, pushing the device into the indent of missing circuitry.

"Wha-, y-your hands are very cold back there, Jimmy... WhOAH!"

The wires knitted themselves together, and BEN froze as a series of images and data flashed rapidly in his flickering eyes. The strobe memory subsided and the robot recovered with a jolt, blinking his eyes as the pixels within lit with a blue charge, no longer green. BEN seemed a bit calmer now, as if his mind were suddenly more coherent. The thin metal plates that served as his eyebrows slanted, and he seemed to be pondering something as his eyes searched the curving roof above.

"Y'know, Jimmy," he said. "I was just thinking... I was just...think-!" The robot's eyes suddenly burst with new energy, as if the new revelation had brought him to life for the first time. "It's all coming back!" he cried animatedly. "All my memories! Right up until Flint pulled out my memory circuit so I couldn't tell anyone about his _BOOBY TRAP_!"

A thunderous, angry roar rumbled around them, huge and furious, as if Treasure Planet had answered BEN directly. Sora jumped in astonishment, unable to believe the timing of the quake.

"Speaking of which..." cringed BEN, tentatively lifting his head to view the ceiling. Both Sora and Jim followed his gaze with dread.

High above small explosions burst from the machines, raining down small chunks of debris like a hail of fire. "Flint wanted to make sure no one could steal his treasure," said BEN hurriedly, "so he rigged this whole planet to blow higher than a Celipsian kite!"

More deafening blasts erupted in the planet's lower mantle, and one of the huge structures was ripped loose, tumbling like a steel icicle where it pierced a massive crack in the core's surface. Waterfalls of golden coins poured into the gaping wound, and a stray beam of purple energy tore destruction upon the fields of treasure. Coins and jewels were lifted into the deadly laser, disintegrating as the thunderstruck crew of pirates fled in terror.

BEN dashed over and began shaking Jim. "RUN, JIMMY!" he screamed. "RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!"

But Jim was undaunted. "You go back and help the Captain and the others," he told the robot as he dove under the mechanical dashboard. "If I'm not there in five minutes, leave without me!"

"What?" gasped Sora. He knew Jim could hotwire the ship, but now they were pressed for time...

BEN got down and grabbed onto Jim's exposed legs. "I am NOT leaving my pal Jimmy!" he stated, sliding the boy away from the dash. When the rest of Jim appeared from under the machine, he was holding two sizzling wires half an inch apart, fixing BEN with an intimidating glare

Sora knew the one. Riku had often used this face with calculating cruelness whenever Sora had been late for their childhood meetings. It was the "Back off and do what I tell you to" look.

BEN stopped, cowed by Jim's seriousness. "... Unless he looks at me like that... Bye Jim!" BEN dropped the teen's boots and took off, leaving only Sora standing there. Jim looked at him next, still lying on his back.

Sora looked right back. "I'll help you any way I can," he said. Nodding, Jim slid back under the dash.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

* * *

While the core was collapsing deep within Treasure Planet's metallic heart, the pirate's prisoners were still being held aboard the longboat on the overgrown surface. Distant tremors could be heard now, and some of them were beginning to wonder if something happened to Sora.

Dr. Doppler, the enthusiastic astronomer, was feeling particularly blue in the early morning darkness. "All my life, I've dreamed of an adventure like this," he sighed quietly to Amelia, who was tied back to back with him. "... I just wish I could have been...more helpful to you..."

"Oh, don't be daft," she said in a grim attempt to cheer him up. "You've been very helpful, truly."

Skyra was mainly zoning out of their conversation. It seemed like giving Sora a chance to save them wasn't working out very well, and Skyra was getting more and more annoyed by the minute. The little brat had probably gotten himself lost... Or killed.

Skyra realized that she wasn't really sure what to do with that thought. She stared down, contemplating what that would mean. _Well...of course I'd care a little…,_ she admitted to herself. Even after only having known Sora for over a week or two, she wouldn't be able to completely alienate herself from that kind of pain…

Thinking of the loss of death had begun to claw away at some old, raw wound buried somewhere within her. A prick of anguish caught her off guard and she cringed, quickly shutting away the visions, pushing them down before the rest could burst out. Skyra waited, eyes tightly closed as the tingling sensation subsided, until finally she again breathed slow, normal breaths. _Enough of that, she told herself. Stop thinking, it'll only make you tired._

Ardeo gave a curious throaty warble, gazing at her in response to the bitter thoughts. She caught the concern, disregarding it.

_Forget it,_ she told him, eyes heavy. _Go to sleep._

In an attempt to ignore the interruptions of the past, Skyra again focused on how incredibly annoyed she was that they were still sitting here. Since their hands were so close to each other's, a burst of Riku's dark fire would probably melt them off, and the summoning of a Keyblade could get someone stabbed. That's it, she thought. She could wait no longer. Sora hadn't showed up, so she would just have to get them out of there herself.

Skyra was half a second away from reaching into her boot and pulling out that switchblade when Dr. Doppler's voice pierced her perception again, "I feel like such a useless...weakling!" he said miserably.

_You can say that again,_ she thought as she turned to look at him, but then suddenly she realized an astonishing fact.

Dr. Doppler's hands were untied.

His head had been dropped into his open palms, whereas before they had been secured behind him. The tight rope had somehow come undone, hanging loosely about his arms. He looked up with surprise written all over his face, just now aware of this himself. "... With abnormally thin wrists," he concluded.

He brought his hands behind him again, Skyra watching curiously. "Ahem! Excuse me," he addressed the demon alien, "brutish pirate." The creature burped, rubbing his pot-belly as his looked up at him. "Yes, you. I have a question. Is it that your massive body is too large for your teeny tiny head, or is it that your teeny tiny head is too small for your BIG FAT BODY?"

The pirate glanced down at his gut, and then back up at Doppler with blazing yellow eyes. The small boat rocked as he stomped over, lifting the doctor by his collar so that their faces met. "I pummel you good!" said the pirate in his Russian accent, raising a fist for emphasis.

"Yes, I'm sure you will," replied Dr. Doppler rather boldly. "But before you do, I have one more question..." A plasma pistol whined to life as it was pressed against the pirate's stomach. "Is this yours?"

It looked down, mouth slightly agape at Dr. Doppler's weapon. Everyone else smiled.

* * *

**... Okay, so I lied. The part that you guys never saw coming is actually going to happen **_**next**_** chapter. Because I had to write several other short stories for **_**SCHOOL**_**, I didn't get a whole lot of this done, hence the shortishness of the chapter. Sorry, but with me being me, I couldn't just let them turn out crappy! I think I may have also just discovered that I'm a slow thinker (maybe?), plus I get distracted easily...**

**Man, now I'm worried about college... I hear it's hard... X'(**

**Anyway, having all this other crap for school really just drained my creative reservoir, so I'm deeply sorry for the shortness. O'_'O You're all so disappointed, I know! I could have put this up sooner, but I kept trying to add to it in what little free time I had. But hey, we have our first Cyrus report! You haven't forgotten about him already, right? You know, he's the reason they were all sent to the new worlds and all... More on him later!**

**Don't worry Cheyenne, I didn't forget about you. Thank you so much for reviewing! 3**

**Okay, now I will explain the answer to the riddle. Because you can't tell which twin is which, you must ask a question that will yield the same answer from either one. To figure out which door leads to heaven, you must ask thus: "Which door would your brother point me to in order to get to heaven?"**

**Imagine you had asked this to the truth teller. He knows his brother is a liar, and if you had asked him which door leads to heaven, he would have lied and pointed to hell. Since this twin can only tell the truth, he will point you to hell. On the other hand, if you had asked the same question to the liar, he knows that his brother would point you to heaven. HOWEVER, he is still a liar, and as such will lie to you and point to hell. Either way, you now know which door leads to hell. Go through the other door.**

**XD. Well, see you next time everyone (and PRAY that school doesn't overload me again).**

**Next chapter: Treasure Planet begins to self-destruct, and THEN the big surprise happens! ;)**

**P.S.: Just because I'm so so so sorry about this chapter's lateness, I decided to post a poem I made for creative writing, which was of course based off of Kingdom Hearts. I will also be posting it up as a separate story, so please tell me if you liked it.**

"**We Are the Chain of Memories"**

**Anyone and everyone**

**Connected by a chain**

**A chain, a Chain of Memories,**

**The links that fade through time**

**Some are so precious, they're hidden away,**

**And no one remembers where**

**So remember, remember these fallen thoughts,**

**For a power is in there**

**Lost passions, hidden dreams, but beware**

**Lies that are rotten and fears long forgotten**

**Would we again these burdens bear?**

**If to find is to lose, and to lose is to find,**

**Would everyone remain themselves in Oblivions's tide?**

**Perhaps to forget is a good thing, too**

**We are who we are, and that is still true**

**So long as everyone remains apart of each other,**

**Our hearts will connect**

**Where all paths intersect**

**And again in this chain will reside as a brother**

**Don't forget to review! And have a Merry Christmas/ Hanukkah/ Cuanza, ect.! **


	15. Test of Strength, Part 1

**Test of Strength (Part 1 of 2)**

Hey, look! Im alive!

Ahem. First of all, I just wanted to address my serious lack of updates over the past few months. Oh my gosh, that was completely unacceptable! I mean, seriously, how long has it been? I don't even remember, and I can't believe I kept you guys waiting for so long (Hey, at least you know I worked hard on this). There isn't really much else to blame, aside from myself, so writer's block is hardly even an excuse in this case. I'm sorry. Maybe this chapter can help make up for it...

So, yeah, on with the show!

Axxela: Welcome back, citizens of the U.S., United Kingdom, India, Gemany, Phillipines, Italy, and possibly Austria! This is chapter #15, which is my number!

Me: You're not going to tape me to the wall like Axel did, are you? (I feel so abused T-T)

Axxela: (shrugs) Nope, probably not.

Me: So...what ARE you going to do?

Axxela: I don't know... Let you tell the story, I guess.

Me: I LIKE this girl! She's so simple and oblivious...

Axxela: ... (staring off into space)

Me: Oh, wait...

...Ahem! Anyway, now for that AMAZING ending to Treasure Planet that I promised all of you! Rated for some SoKai. Yeah, cue the dramatic music...

* * *

The metallic core of Treasure Planet was shaking and shifting by the time all the fiendish pirates had fled. Great chasms had opened up in it's surface, as if the planet were alive and it wanted to swallow them and crush them with searing vengeance in it's boiling hot depths.

A radiant ocean of golden magma had been revealed within the massive cracks, violent bubbles serving as the tombstones of several of the pirates that had fallen. The cores surface was bare of treasure now, smooth sheets of metal glistening a red glow by the time Jim and Sora got the ship off the ground. Sora grinned in relief as Jim whooped and cranked the ships wheel, Morph now floating by his head. "Yes!" he shouted. "Guys, were are so outta here!"

Explosions rang. Heat rose. The ancient ship groaned. It was funny, how jolly and out of place Mr. Silver's voice sounded.

"Aye, Jimbo! Aint'cha the seventh wonder of the universe!"

He was behind them.

If Jim was shocked, he didn't freeze, but in one swift motion spun around and snatched a serrated scimitar from the piles of gold. Sora turned, staring as Jim two-handedly pointed the long blade right at the huge man's gut. His face was a mask of defiance, lips curled into a snarl.

"Get. Back."

Silver's usual lighthearted charm had been discarded. He was dark, the brim of his hat obscuring his face, his thoughts unknowable as he did nothing, only tilting his head to look down at swords tip. When he slowly moved to glare back at Jim, his eyes were icy and cruel, chubby lips sinking down in a dangerous scowl. His one bionic eye trained its yellow light on Jim, soulless and piercing.

"I like ya, lad." His gaze was steady, unyielding. "But I've come too far teh' let ya stand b'tween me and my treasure."

One heavy footstep clunked on the wooden deck. Then another. James Hawkins backed up, eyes wide, the boldness ebbing from his face as the hulking man lumbered slowly closer, the swords threat forgotten.

"Enough!"

In a flash of light Bond of Flames had materialized in Sora's hands, and he brought the weapon down on Silver with an angry metallic crack. Mr. Silver flinched though he felt nothing, a small dent left behind on his prosthetic steel arm. His dumbfounded eyes froze on the Keyblade, unbelieving.

Sora held it up, standing protectively in front of Jim and said, "Stop it, Silver! You've gone way too far!"

But then the ship suddenly lurched under them, and for a second Sora imagined a giant creature had crawled from the cores interior and was shaking them into its gaping maw. A flash of electrified purple ripped the air, and they were thrown off their feet as the ship leaned port side. The world turned sideways, becoming nothing but a jumbled mess of tumbling bodies, of snapping wood and clattering coins. Flint's ship heaved a mighty groan, and Sora grunted as he crashed into the banister, Jim and Silver flying overboard.

A giant chest of gilded gold tumbled towards him and pinned him to the wood. Sora squirmed and struggled against its oppressing weight, but then he stopped when he saw the bones of the deceased Captain Flint, flailing and crumbling into dusty fragments as it fell off its throne. The dark, three pronged hat flipped off the skeletons head, spinning and sliding until it collided with the timber by his face. It jolted, releasing the small object which had been concealed within for so many years.

Sora stared. The thing bounced and settled on the deck, finding its own impossible equilibrium on the slanted ship. The object had two parts. Three expertly crafted rings rotated around an irregular core, each ring set to spin in different directions. It was like an atom, forged from some kind of strange bronze.

The metal shimmered, blazing; cracks of its own red light shot out from within and gathered around it like an aura of power. It ignored gravity and friction altogether, dancing on like a psychotic dreidel.

And then the light, as if guided by an invisible finger, began writing patterns in the air in front of him. The dragonfly came first, then the winged scales, and a half sun, half moon background. They glowed like the pinpoints of stars in the sky, and when the picture was complete Sora knew where he'd seen it before.

That small piece of paper given to him by Yen Sid... It had the exact same crest on it. He could feel the object practically burning a hole in his pocket.

Sora reached through the shimmering red image and grabbed the free-spinning object before it could wander out of reach, mysterious runic symbols dancing around his arm before receding back into the bronze material. As his fingers wrapped around it, cutting off the rotation of the outer rings, Sora felt a strange compressed sensation. Everything suddenly stretched, warping impossibly before collapsing in on itself, as if the world were being sucked through a plastic tube, and he was shoved in along with it.

Sora's breath was drawn right out of his lungs, yet he clutched the metallic object with all his will. He knew the thing was radiating like a star even though his eyes were shut tight, and from within its brilliance came a voice. It was powerful, reaching into his mind and heart, and Sora could feel its touch like a surge of pure power. Mighty and huge, it spoke to him, making him flinch from its intensity.

"YOU," it said. "YOU, WHO'S HEART HOLDS A POWERFUL LIGHT, HAVE FINALLY COME..."

Sora opened up his eyes as the pressure suddenly went away. Bringing the shining red star to his face, he marveled at the facets of scarlet that glittered on his skin like the prisms of a diamond.

"YOU'VE FOUND ME, SORA."

* * *

Jim didn't even have the time to shout when the laser hit. The crackling, purple current of charged ions thundered down from the conic machines above, hammering the side of Flint's airborne ship and causing an immediate explosion on the starboard side. Thrown totally off his feet, Jim didn't even have a chance to latch onto the smooth wood of the railing as he flew overboard.

Red was everywhere. The boiling heat within the depths of the core cast a hot, crimson glow up the shafts of the great chasms. It reflected from the curved ceiling, staining what remained of the crumbling metal floor a dark shade of dread. Jim felt his stomach drop into his shoes as he slid down a slanting platform which was slowly being torn apart. The steel was woven into strong slabs of shifting clockwork, each massive unit riddled with specialized slots and protrusions in order to connect with its neighbors like pieces in a puzzle.

But now, as the planet was preparing for self-destruction, these pieces were breaking away, rising and falling and crumbling with the pressure.

Jim's eyes were wide as he watched his ride come to an end. All to quickly, the sheet of slick metal beneath him ran out, and he was thrown forward through the air- above seething vents of heat and the rising glow of yellow magma. He gasped, crashing bodily with the wall of metal on the other side of the gap, grasping desperately at its curved slots for a handhold. His fingers found a small protrusion and he latched on with all his strength, his legs making soft clanging noises as they came to rest against the smooth metal wall.

The lone, slanting platform quaked as Mr. Silver held the floating ship in place. The purple laser beam that had struck it moments ago was inching closer, eating a hole in the already shattered wood on the other side of the deck.

"Oh no you don't!" Silver growled in fury and heaved the heavily laden ship closer with a massive burst of strength. It banged up against the metal platform, a deep groan mixed with the jingle of displaced treasure.

Something small and pink drew pastel lines through the air, flying around until it stopped near his head. Straining with the effort, it took Mr. Silver a moment to realize that the creature was Morph. The shapeless little blob jabbered away in a panicked babble, pointing hastily at Jim's clinging form.

"Huh...? What?" Mr. Silver turned, eyes shooting wide as he spotted Jim. The boy was barely hanging on now, the little protrusions slowly sliding back into the wall. "Jimbo!"

Silver's bionic arm folded in on itself and became a huge gripping tool. Holding the boat in place, he extended his fake arm and stepped down the steep incline towards Jim. The heavyset man inched as far as he could, stretching his one real hand out to the boy. "Reach for me now!" he called, "Reach!"

They were close. So close.

Silver could see the fear in Jim's eyes as he reached up. They were just that close, but the distance between their fingers was simply and inch too far.

"I-I can't!" yelped Jim. The blocks clicked perfectly back into their slots and he dropped, hands scraping ineffectively against the smooth wall. Just as suddenly, he stopped with a jerk, barely catching onto another oddly shaped protrusion. It began sliding into its hole as well, and Silver could see Jim's numb fingers trembling with the strain. The man watched hesitantly, gazing back at the boat, whose piles of gold winked brightly at him, and then at Jim, who was swinging helplessly, whose lifespan now amounted to several seconds. It was one or the other, one or the other...

One...or the other...

If someone were watching, they would have noticed the exact moment Mr. Silver made up his mind- the second his eyes set on their goal before scrunging tight. "Ohhhh..." he snarled, "Blast me for a boat!"

He released the gold-bearing ship, sliding and diving straight towards the cliff- and not a moment too soon. Right as Jim slipped once again, Silver's hand caught tightly around his wrist, and with the strength of an ox, he hauled the boy towards the ledge before clambering up himself. Sora was there in an instant, clutching Jim's shirt to aid his ascension. And thank goodness for that, because it was at this time that a buzzing sort of hum invaded the air. Like a swarm of terrifying insects...

The trio gazed up at Flint's ship, where the purple energy beam had slowly carved its way back into the wood. It crackled and sparked, then with utmost violence exploded into millions of pieces of shredded wood, scattered gold and fire.

The last of Captain Nathaniel Flint's treasure was finally gone.

Sora thought to say something, perhaps a thanks to Mr. Silver for saving Jim, but as the shower of gold ended, everything began to shake. There was no time for words; the core had minutes before it all went up in flames.

* * *

The floorboards of the Legacy creaked as another trussed- up pirate was flung into the dark back room. Dim beams of light from the open door revealed a nice pile of bodies where the once-crew members had basically been dropped in a heap. It was so easy, really. By the time they had commandeered the ship all the way back to the area near the portal, a whole flock of panicked pirates had run out of the woods and begged for a ride off the planet. Being people of mercy, they took them in, tied them up, and then tossed them into a rather stuffy dark room. First class traitor airlines.

Although, Riku didn't think Skyra had been all too merciful with the one's she had bound. Many of them were still whining about the tightness of the rope.

He patted his hands together. Those guys were wrapped up in enough rope to bridge the collective gaps in the theory of evolution- they weren't going anywhere. Still, he was rather surprised that Skyra hadn't tried to kill one yet. She was undoubtedly simmering on the inside, hence the tight rope. Maybe she's learning to control her anger, thought Riku. "All right," he called, "let's go."

He was about to turn around when he realized that Skyra didn't seem to be leaving the room. He squinted at her back through the gloom. The pirates looked between the two nervously.

"Um...S...kyra?"

"... Actually..." Her voice was like steel against the near-silence. "... I think I'd like a word with the crew."

Riku's eyebrows pulled together.

"Go on," she said, "close the door. And don't be alarmed by any screams you might hear; we're just having a little...fun." She tilted a scarlet knife, making sure its deadly edge caught the light and glimmered at the pirates.

The sadistic smile in her voice made Riku's blood run cold. He stared, unsure of what he should do, whether he wanted to stop her or even if he could. Somehow, he knew his opinion meant nothing in the matter; that girl was dead set on revenge.

Ardeo took off from Skyra's shoulder and landed on his with a low warble. Riku blinked, finally able to make himself move, though his voice was still a bit out of reach. "Uh...O...okay..." was all he could manage before closing the door, trying to ignore the pirates' sudden burst of pathetic, desperate pleas.

It closed with a thud, and everything was silent. He turned, and saw that Captain Amelia had been standing behind him, leaning on the wall a little for support.

"That's a violent on you have there," she commented.

"Yeah..." Riku looked at Ardeo inquiringly. "Was she always this...scary?"

The tiny dragon gave a shrug and a defeated look, as if he'd failed to talk the girl out of it. They decided to leave before the horror flick began. Riku tried telling himself that those deceiving pirates deserved it, but only ended up feeling sorry for them.

_No..._ He shivered.

No one deserves THAT.

* * *

The crackling green light of the triangular portal flickered once as Sora, Jim, and Silver leapt through it at the same time. Behind them, huge pieces of the core could be seen splitting apart and sinking as a fiery explosion of epic proportions shook the air

Jim glanced, breathless, at the tall cyborg. "Silver," he shouted over the noise, "you came back?"

The huge man was leaning with one hand on his knee. "It's a lifelong obsession, Jimbo," he waved with fake nonchalance, "I'll get over it." Morph rubbed his plasmic body up against Silver's cheek in joy, ecstatic that they were best pals again.

Suddenly, they all looked up in response to an unmistakably familiar sound; BEN, with his irritatingly loud voice, was yelling at them from above, and never before had they been so happy to hear him. The huge, elongated white hull of the Legacy made a rapid descent before them.

"Heeeey!" came a girl's voice. It was Kairi. And Riku was there, waving, beside her.

"Come on, guys!" he shouted through cupped hands.

"Hurry, people," said BEN. "We've got exactly two minutes and thirty-four seconds till planet's destruction!"

Meanwhile, on the ship, Captain Amelia was supervising the navigation of the Legacy from her position on the floor. Still weakened from her injuries, she sat up against the enormous trunk of the rear mast with one hand cradling her side. Acting in the Captain's stead, good old Doctor Doppler was trying his hand at the wheel while Amelia conveyed instructions to him. Attempting to coax out what she hoped were good inner driving skills, she said, "You're doing fine, Doctor. Now ease her over gently-" but he whirled the wheel much too fast, and she shouted "-_GENTLY_!"

The ship jolted rather roughly as it hit the edge of the cliff side-on. _That's good enough for me_, thought Sora, and they all scrambled onto the deck.

Silver was halfway up the small flight of stairs towards the rear when the ship kicked off and began rotating away from the portal. He held his hat over his heart, gazing up at the now standing Captain Amelia with a flattering, jolly smile. "Cap'n," he said breathlessly, "ya dropped from the heavens in the nick of-"

Unfortunately for him, Amelia wasn't flattered. At all. "Save your clap-trap for the judge, Silver," she snapped tersely, stalking away.

The big man gave a nervous laugh, realizing that he was permanently on the Captain's bad side, and no amount of charm would help change that.

* * *

Explosive was a very good word to describe the atmosphere right then.

Literally all of Treasure Planet's extensive habitats of innumerable mushrooms, fungi, and that ridiculous moss were completely disintegrated. Burned into ashes by the rising heat and crumbling landscape, the entire planet was revealed for the magnificent puzzle of machinery it really was. Huge blocks of metal that were at least one square acre both long and wide were beginning to rise, breaking off randomly and floating slowly up out of the troposphere like Tetris in reverse The violet laser beams had broken all the way through the core and mantle, cutting knife-deadly slashes of intense light in the planets crust. Some of the blocks were struck by the lasers and exploded into smithereens before they could escape, and wherever those blazing columns went, a fiery chasm was left in its wake- vents for rising magma.

Yes, explosive was definitely the word Axxela would use to describe the scene as she sat atop the central mast of the Legacy, along with her brother, Axhon. The two Nobodies were staring straight ahead, both of them wearing red and blue 3D glasses.

"This movie is pretty awesome," commented the boy approvingly. "I mean, this 3D is amazing!"

"Yeah," agreed his companion.

Axxela squinted a moment later. Wait a minute, was that a crate? _What would a crate be doing here?_ she thought.

Indeed, it was a crate. And it was tumbling through the air. So large in fact was this crate that when it made contact with the mast in front of them, the sheer force if the impact splintered and toppled almost the entire structure, sails and all.

The brown haired girl stared at it, then removed her glasses and gazed down to the side. She watched as a teenage girl who looked vaguely dangerous (what with all the knives) appeared from within the lower levels of the ship.

"Um, dude..." she said, unmoving. "This isn't a movie."

Axhon pulled his glasses down his nose a little and then gazed out in the other direction. Seconds later, Axxela's body burst into tendrils of darkness, and with smoky whoosh she had disappeared.

Axhon didn't have to be told to summon his own portal an instant later.

* * *

The thunderous crash of splintering timber took everyone by surprise. Without warning, nearly the whole shaft of the wooden mast exploded into massive chunks, the huge solar-receiving sails ripping and becoming entangled as they were dragged out of the air. One of the fragments collided directly with the Legacy's laser ball cannon, reducing the machine into a pile of scrap metal and a sizzling engine.

Riku leaned on the railing of the upper deck to view the scene. "Right," he said, "as if there's any way this could possibly get worse!"

"...!" Riku blanched as he realized what he'd just said. "No, wait, I didn't...!"

Suddenly the ship sagged, the thrusters failing and whining in response to the instant lack of energy. BEN typed furiously as he ran several calculations on some strange, flashing equipment. "Missing sails immobilized, Captain. Thrusters at only thirty percent capacity!"

"Thirty percent..." Dr. Doppler looked like he was running some mental equations, and then a second later, "But that means we...we'll never clear the planets explosion in time..."

"WHAAAT!" blurted Donald.

Everyone looked at each other, that same, horrifying thought bouncing around their heads. From Amelia to Doppler, Jim to Silver and everyone in between. Are we going to die?

Riku just looked dazed. _Sometimes_, he thought, _I feel like punching myself._

"Great job, Riku," quacked Donald, voice coated in verbal irony as he shot daggers of scorn at the confused teen. "Look at what you've done! Don't you know that you should never, EVER say that? All it ever does is make things worse!"

Then again, he could always just have Donald conjure up miscellaneous spells at him.

"What did Riku do?" asked Skyra as she appeared from the lower deck.

"It's his fault the ship is low on energy!"

"What!" protested Riku.

"I don't doubt it," said the girl. "One should never take for granted the power of idiocy."

"Really, Skyra?" The silver haired boy was edgy. "Now, at a time like this?"

"Come on, guys," scolded Kairi as she stepped in front of the defendant. "This is serious! Riku didn't do anything."

"Yeah," supported Sora. "We're low on power because the mast was destroyed; bad luck had nothing to do with it! Right, Jim?" Sora looked sideways at Jim...

...who was ignoring him.

It wasn't that Jim was shocked, paralyzed with fear, or even angry. Neither was he engaging in melodramatic arguments over such juvenile topics as to whose fault it was, unlike the group of previously dubbed "stowaways", or, as Skyra would have called them, "idiots".

Rather, James Hawkins was thinking, racking his brain for a way out of this mess, the rush of the moment streamlining his mind into a razor sharp point. Focusing his eyes like a laser beam, he glanced back at the distant light of the portal before finally narrowing down his search to the steaming remains of the recently dismantled ion cannon. An idea struck him, and he made a beeline for the wreckage. A strong engine and a slab of metal were all he would need for his insane plan to work.

"We gotta turn around!" he shouted, racing past.

As distraught as they all were, everyone else heard his voice quite clearly. Jim vaulted over the upper decks banister and alighted on the larger deck below.

"What!" exclaimed Captain Amelia as she rushed to the banister.

Jim threw his index finder at the area behind the ship as he dashed to the wreckage, shouting, "There's a portal back there; it can get us out of here!"

Amelia paused, the aforementioned insane plan taking a trip around her brain. Mr. Silver's face assumed the same considering pose before he whipped around to get a look at the chaos behind them. He leaned over the rafters, focusing his bionic eye on the distant triangle of the green portal. The cores distruction was still contained on the other side, although barely, and the holographing projection of the galaxies continued to hover a few feet above the planets surface.

"Pardon me, Jim," came Doppler's objection, "but didn't that portal open onto a RAGING INFERNO!"

Jim pulled up a rugged slab of steel that was roughly the size and shape of a narrow surfboard. "Yes," he grunted, "but I'm going to change that. I'm gonna open a different door."

"That's crazy!" announced Sora rather unnecessarily as he halted in front of the thick wooden railing. Mechanical blocks of all sizes were beginning to shift every which direction now, and whole fleets of airborne Heartless were warping in all over the area.

"You're tellin' me, Sora," said Goofy, eyebrows creasing in worry. "This place is about to turn into a battlefield!"

Doppler, however, wasn't finished pointing out the obvious insanity as he continued to hold the wheel in place. "Captain, really, I-I just don't see how this could possibly-"

Silver sounded almost like a grumpy old man as he maneuvered down the steps and interrupted with, "Listen to the boy!"

BEN's eyes flashed as he typed furiously. "One minute and twenty-nine seconds 'till planet's destruction!"

The hulking man fell down next to Jim, who was attempting to tie a cylindrical engine to the chunk of metal with a rope. "Whaddya need, Jim?"

"Just...some way to attach this!"

Silver's arm folded in on itself to become an ultra hot blowtorch. "Okay, jus' stand back, jus' stand back, now!" He leaned in, pushing Jim back as the cobalt flame sparked against the metal. Morph observed from overhead.

Just then, Skyra waltzed right up the edge next to Goofy, arms crossed, a wide, sly smile forming across her lips. "Sounds like fun."

"What!"

She took in their incredulous looks with a passive, dipped eyebrow. "What do you mean, 'what'? You're Keyblade wielders, aren't you? You've been through the underworld and back twice; this little problem should be nothing." Her pinky tapped testily on the skin of her arm. "Or was that all just a bunch of overblown garbage that I've been hearing for so long?"

"Like hell it was!" barked Riku. "Do you have any idea what that was like?"

Sora looked thoughtful. He watched as Mr. Silver finished welding the engine and the steel board together, hoisting the makeshift solar surfer up on the ships railing. Sora was then jolted from his thoughts when his shoulder received a push from an impatient Skyra. "Well," she challenged, "Are you a Keyblader, or a pansy?"

"Hey! Watch it, toots!" huffed Donald. "Do you even know who you're talking to?" Kairi didn't look very fond of the insult, either, which was evident from the frown she was giving Skyra.

Aside from that, Sora wasn't the type to take a dare lying down.

Jim hopped onto the board (whose safety capabilities were highly questionable) and yelled back at Silver. "Okay, now whatever happens, keep this ship headed straight for that portal."

BEN's voice pitched. "Fifty-eight seconds!"

Anyway, it looked like Sora had made up his mind. "All right, I'll show you how it's done, Sky," he teased with a cheeky grin, the new nickname earning a look from Skyra. "Just sit back and watch the show!" He dashed away, Keyblade flashing to life in his hand as he went.

"Hold on now," protested Riku. "Who says you get to hog all the glory?"

"Sorry, already called it!" shouted the boy, one hand waving behind him as he bounded down the steps. "Hey, Jim! Wait up!"

Said boy turned in the direction of his voice, but before Sora could hop on with him something latched onto his arm, followed by a soft-spoken, "Sora..."

He turned, and, seeing how tentative she looked, realized that this was the first time Kairi had ever actually watched him go into battle. He was so used to risking his life, but she... Sora had never needed to think about how she would feel...

"Kairi..."

Oh man. He felt like a soldier drafted for war, which he kind of was, in effect. What was he supposed to say to make her feel better? Sora found himself wishing that he'd actually watched some of those romantic movies, but then again Kairi would probably recognize anything he might have quoted.

"I...guess I have to go again, huh..." He scratched the back of his head, unsure of what to say.

Her eyes met his, a deep cerulean that would make even the bluest ocean turn green with envy. Guilt stabbed at him like the tiny pinpricks of red light reflecting off the small accumulations of moisture in her eyes. He offered a sad smile, attempting to console her with whatever would come to mind. "I'll come back," he tried to assure her, "please don't worry."

She released his arm and gazed down.

"...I know. You're right, Sora; I know, but still..."

That about crushed him right there. He wanted to stay, to hold her, anything. Oh, how he wished he had more time...

Sora was so lost in thought that he nearly toppled over backwards as he received his second push that morning. This time, it was from Kairi. Her maroon locks obstructed most of her face as she looked to the side.

"Just...hurry up, okay?"

She glanced bravely up, trying to hold an accepting sort of smile. Sora returned it the best he could.

"I promise," he said. And he meant it.

And with no time to spare, he whipped around, hopping right onto the banister and then onto the long end of the homemade "board", which hung out over the edge in front of Jim. Luckily for Sora, Jim was able to compensate for the additional weight before the thing tipped off it's perch. Not that he still wasn't surprised. "What the?" he protested. "Sora, what are you...?"

"Well, someone has to defend you from the Heartless, Jim", replied Sora as he dug through his endless pocket, finally retrieving a keychain that resembled a yellow, chicken-looking bird. Replacing it with his current Chakram charm, the Keyblade flashed in an explosion of photons, and when the light had died down, looked completely different.

Bond of Flames had gone, and it its place was the Metal Chocobo. The grip was of red fabric, and the simple guard appeared to be made of an auburn, bolted iron. The shaft, composed of a plain, flat steel blade, extended several feet to the teeth, which parodied a puzzle piece with three small holes punched through the middle. Although admittedly not made for looks, the Metal Chocobo excelled in long reach, which Sora planned to take advantage of durning this flight.

"Alright, are you ready?"

Jim nodded, gave Mr. Silver one last meaningful look, and with one determined face, slammed the acceleration pedal as hard as he could.

And they were gone like a shooting star.

* * *

Okay, hope you guys are liking the drama so far! Keep reading, cause the story continues onto the next chapter. -


	16. Test of Strength, part 2

To everyone that skipped to this chapter, this is the second of a two-part chapter to be posted today. if you haven't read the first part, go back a page.

Alright, here's part 2!

* * *

***A brief look into the life of Jim***

James Hawkins loved anything mechanical, especially solar surfers. He'd built his first one when he was eight. Nothing was more fun to him than taking things apart, spending hours fixing and tweaking, figuring out how it all worked. It was his talent- his gift. He could ace quantum physics if he wanted to, but therein lies the problem.

Ever since Jim could remember, his father never seemed to be around. Even when he came back from whatever he did with his day, big boots, large jacket casting a tall silhouette in the light of the open front door- it was nothing but a pat on the head and walk away. No matter what he did to impress him, Jim would remain relatively ignored. He didn't know when that started happening, but ever since then, his father seemed to just drift farther into the distance.

And then finally, it happened.

Jim was barley a teenager. He had just begun wearing his ponytail. One morning, he awoke to find that his father was leaving, just like that; his mother, Sarah, was in tears. Maybe they'd had a fight, he couldn't recall, but he had run to the air dock, barefooted, to stop him. He scrambled in desperation, falling down the rough stone steps several times. But even as he reached over the edge, one arm snaked around a post to keep him from falling, the ship took off, and his father had never even looked back to say goodbye.

It was nothing impressive, he knew; kids probably lost their dads all the time. And yet his life spiraled into a chain of plummeting grades, acting out, general anti-sociability, et cetera, et cetera...

Until the day he was given the map.

Suddenly, he was cast on an adventure. He saw the cosmos with his own eyes, dodged death several times, and even made friends with Sora and the others (although he still got into fights). He had become close with Mr. Silver, who taught him hard work, later turned out to be an enemy, and then saved his life. He felt real, like he had something to care about for once. And now, as Treasure Planet was at the end of its days, all those things had been placed on the line, and it was up to him to get them out of this. This one would be for all the marbles, and Jim was going to see it through, even if it was the last thing he did in his miserable life.

* * *

Jim could feel the adrenaline pumping as he braced the hot wind, zooming ahead of the Legacy with Sora crouching on the front of his board. The planet was in its final phase of destruction, giant chunks of it breaking apart, rising up, and even shifting sideways before him. His goal: get to the portal before the Legacy, and open up another route. He would have one chance.

Two smaller blocks rose up in his path. Reacting with experienced reflexes, Jim grinded from one to the other as he descended at full throttle. The engine seemed to be holding up, and although Sora added an extra hundred-sum-odd pounds to the front of the board, he could still turn it okay. Besides, he was going to need him and his Keyblade real soon.

Meanwhile, Sora stole a glance at the shifting metal "ground" below, noting the considerable distance he would have to travel before the final splat, should he fall. He took a second to readjust his footing, shaking off a nervous shiver that was making it's way down his spine.

All of the sudden- and only about five seconds into their flight- whole scores of flying Heartless appeared, materializing from out of the omnipresent red glow. Varying from Air Pirates to Wyverns and Guardians, each one seemed to lock their primal little minds right on them at that exact same moment. Jim dodged the first Air Pirate, swerving up sideways to let the creature slide right past them, though the maneuver was a little slower than he would have liked. Although caught off kilter by the teen's simple and effortless dodge, the Heartless swung its sword backhand in a last-ditch effort to hit them. It was close, but the creature just missed nicking his pants.

The circular engine gave out as they continued rocketing ahead. Without showing even a single sign of panic, Jim slammed the rear pedal to reignite it, kicking them off again before any speed had been lost.

Although the first Air Pirate was too far behind to worry about, five of its buddies had just arrived to avenge it. Ten leathery, glider-shaped wings beat out of rhythm as the heartless hovered in front of them, each glaring soullessly from round heads that were decked in signature red bandanas. Jim veered in an effort to get past them, but to no avail. "Sora," he called, "I can't shake them!"

"Got it!" Sora rose from his knees carefully in preparation for a strike. The center Air Pirate wound back its arm for an assault of its own, but Sora beat him to it, his Metal Chocobo scoring several hits to the torso and a finisher to the skull. Dizzy and losing momentum, the Heartless tumbled past them overhead.

_One down..._

His blade met with two more, and as their bodies faded Sora launched a Blizzara attack straight ahead. The steaming chunk of ice collided directly with the body of one Air Pirate, while the subsequent mini snow storm finished it off and dowsed it's buddy in a freezing coat of white. In it's disorientation, Sora ran the heartless through the chest with his Metal Chocobo. The shining pink hearts, no longer held captive by their mindless shells, rose into the sky before fading, and Sora wished them a safe journey to wherever they were headed.

Unfortunately, the momentary peace came to an end all to quickly. At least twice as many heartless began to gather around them, several more on their way, all baring tooth and claw.

Finally, Jim had had enough. "Forget this," he said, "we don't have time!"

Sora barely had enough time to look at Jim and say, "Huh?" before the teen dropped the board into an abrupt nose dive. "Hold on!" he heard through the sudden blast of deafening wind.

_Oh, believe me_, he thought as his stomach flew up into his throat, _I am_. Quite truthfully, Sora's eyes were closed just as tightly as his hands around the rough edges of the board. The were falling, falling like a doomed meteor, and just when Sora thought the wind was going to rip all his hair off, Jim pulled up so sharply that his face turned red from the strain.

When Sora's eyes snapped open once more, everything looked completely different. The ground was still a ways below them, but instead of wide open airways of red, they were surrounded on both sides by massive slabs of rising metal.

Sora recalled watching a movie in which a pilot had to navigate through an extensive trench in order to get to the weak point of a colossal space ship. Their current situation was similar, except now the trench was moving. Gigantic pieces were shifting and jolting before them in every direction. And they were fast.

_We have to go through that? _thought Sora incredulously.

Finally snapping out of his trepidation, one look back told Sora that the Legacy was still behind and above them. _You know what?_ came an afterthought, _Skyra is probably enjoying this._

High above the makeshift solar surfer, Skyra was gazing down over the edge of the ship, elbows resting on the hardwood railing. _You know what?_ she thought. _I think I'm enjoying this._

Then, from out of the flaming sky came the shadowy figures of beastly Heartless. They gathered around Skyra like a flock of ravens, settling on the banister and atop the masts in a brief moment of peace, the almost vibrating air of dread sending a clear warning of the madness soon to come.

She let out a small sigh. "And then you just had to come along and ruin..."

Ardeo hummed in concern as the girl took out a pair of black and scarlet knives and turned to face her adversaries.

_Oh, wait_, she thought suddenly. _Nope, still enjoying this_.

The first Heartless to catch up to Jim and Sora wasted no time in making the first move. And as luck would have it, it happened to be a Wyvern. The huge, dragon like beast came at them in a full body tackle, knocking the board forcefully to the side and nearly destroying their sense of balance altogether.

Fortunately, and with much yelling and arm-waving, Sora and Jim were able to recover before slamming into one of the walls. The pinkish Heartless roared a high, fear-inducing screech, showing off four rows of glinting white molars that were perfectly shaped for ripping out huge chunks of flesh.

Jim made sure to greet it with a face full of steel board, although technically he bashed the creature in the thorax. Big mistake, as it turned out. Despite the fact that the Wyvern was now grinding in between the board and the massive metallic wall, the head itself was still free, and, naturally, it sought to bite the nearest living thing...

Sora.

Trying his best not to fall off the now sideways solar surfer, Sora held his breath in surprise as he reflexively ducked under the monsters neck. Thrown into panic by the pain and the helplessness of its current position, the Wyvern howled and snapped randomly, its face nudging and rubbing up against Sora's body, gradually getting closer and closer to actually being able to sink its teeth in. Sora pressed himself up against the board, unsure of how long he could take it.

Finally, the moment the Heartless's ferocious jaw chomped down just an inch from his face, something happened within Sora. He figured it was probably just a gut instinct or something, but as the creatures rancid breath invaded his lungs, sickly and choking, he involuntarily lashed out with fear-induced strength, simultaneously sealing his eyes shut in the process.

Whack!

"AaaaaAAARRRHHhhhhhh!"

Ba-bump. Something made the board jerk.

Sora forced open his eyes, noting that he and Jim were no longer grinding up against the wall, and even more thankfully, he noticed the absence of a crookedly-toothed head.

Two enormous chunks of metal collided, sending an earthquake-like boom resounding through the air. Sora quickly regained his bearings, realizing that Jim had grabbed onto the back of his hood as if to keep him held down. "You alright, Sora?" he panted.

Sora turned to look back at him. "I think so, yeah." he answered.

"Good, now DUCK!"

What the...? Sora's head swiveled quickly on its axis, providing him with and excellent view of a massive block of metal sliding into place directly in front of them. One that, if they crashed into now, would snap their heads backwards in a very ugly way.

Sora popped a squat with the speed of lighting, his hands gripping the sides of the solar surfer as Jim once again dropped their altitude. They rocketed underneath the complex structure with mere feet to spare, but the planet wasn't done with them yet. More slabs of steel were slamming up, down, and side to side like humungous hammers, creating a veritable labyrinth where death could come at any split-second.

Oh, and the Heartless were swarming.

Like a living cloud of smoke, they zoomed in from behind and surrounded them on both sides. Flying Heartless of every breed closed in: Possessors, Red Nocturnes, Emerald Serenades, Wyverns, Guardians, and quite a healthy supply of Air Pirates. They gave chase as if one being, a single hunter out to obliterate its prey.

Jim evaded the shifting slabs of metal as one nearly crushed them from the left, and another suddenly rose up out of nowhere before them. Silver Guardian Heartless began unleashing pale blue beams of sparkling energy from within their shells, adding yet another obstacle to the boys' mission. A huge block slid out violently as they passed by, making Heartless pancakes out of several unfortunate Wyverns.

All around, their path was becoming increasingly more constricted as spaces opened and closed sporadically, changing so quickly that nothing could be guaranteed to stand still. Chunks of red steel exploded and toppled over, and a cataclysmic collision destroyed every route except one: a closing angular tunnel that was just large enough to fit Jim and Sora for a few seconds. Both sensing this, they shifted their weight instantly, aiming the board at that tiny space. Their curve took them right into one wall, an angle that forced Jim to grind the board hard, the intense friction causing orange sparks to ignite on all sides.

Just like that, they were through, and the opening fractured behind them as everything on the other side collapsed along with the Heartless.

* * *

The magnificent R.L.S. Legacy trailed a little ways behind Jim and Sora, with Dr. Doppler frantically trying to steer the ship as safely as possible through the chaotic doomsday landscape. Another battle was being waged on the deck as shields, staffs, spells, knives, and Keyblades were swung in all directions to ward off the endless waves of nightmarish Heartless.

A bone-jarring crash announced the destruction of the right stabilizer, a protrusion that must have been caught by one of the larger pieces of Treasure Planet's crust as they raced by. Captain Amelia, from her spot on the floor behind Dr. Doppler, was once again giving out orders. "Turn right," she yelled with one thumb jabbed to the side, "No, RIGHT!"

Finally, it seemed intensity of their predicament combined with the captain's rather bossy commands had suddenly caused the doctor to snap. He half turned, flicking his attention from the "road" to Amelia as he yelled. "I know! I know! Would you just let me drive!"

From the tone of his voice, it sounded as if he could have added a "woman" at the end of that sentence. Captain Amelia stared in surprise at the brazen infraction of the chain of command, and Doppler kept right on spinning the wheel at fifty miles an hour. Orange fountains of searing fire exploded from every direction, and the ambient, wrathful growl of the planets fury increased twofold as BEN announced another periodic warning, "Twenty-five seconds!"

* * *

Far in front of them, Sora and Jim could be seen leveling out in front of the portal's entrance, the space before their destination occupied only by an expansive canyon. As they approached the endless drop, Sora could gaze down the stainless walls and see the hot, golden luminescence created by what appeared to be either magma or molten steel. The atmosphere became even more arid, the rising heat baking the air as if they were inside a giant oven.

_Almost there,_thought Sora in relief. Just a few more seconds and they'd be...

A tired, grinding sort of whine sounded from behind him, going from a high pitch to a low one. _Uh-oh._What was that?

"Jim?" Sora turned around questioningly. Jim was looking down by his right foot, where the engine had been melted onto the board. The thing had stopped working.

Sora watched with growing dread as Jim slammed the pedal under his foot, then again, and again. They were losing precious speed and altitude, but the engine still refused to reignite. "No! No!" shouted Jim, fiercely stomping on the acceleration.

They fell. And something hit him.

Sora couldn't tell whether it had been a heartless or a flying piece of debris, but it knocked him right off the board and sent him spinning into the cliff wall. Jim might have screamed his name, but a sudden roar momentarily overtook his senses as the planet prepared to blow them all into superheated space dust. He was blinded by the yellow glow of bubbling magma that had gathered at the pit of the crevasse. First bright yellow, then angry red, over and over again as the sky and the lava switched places at a dizzying rate. Sora tumbled down, bouncing off the metallic wall as he went, the heat skyrocketing all around him the farther he fell.

Throughout the disorientation, Sora could somehow discern that Jim was falling near the opposite wall, probably still fervently attempting to get the engine working again. It wasn't long before Sora's instincts kicked in, pacifying his chaotic stream of terrified thoughts for what he hoped was enough time to come up with a plan.

_Okay, I'm falling. I'm falling, Jim can't fix the surfer, and we only have a few seconds to get everyone safely through the portal before the planet explodes. There has to be something I can do. Come on, think of something!_

Sora had squeezed his eyes tight in thought, afraid to open them and lose his concentration, yet dying to see how long he had left. No...dang it, he was drawing a blank! His eyes snapped open, only to inform him that he was out of time. The molten ravine wes rapidly drawing near, and Sora knew that even utilizing his Glide ability now would do nothing to safeguard him.

The golden light intensified, strangely appearing to radiate from two directions at once as it mercilessly surrounded him. It cruelly sought him out; even when he closed his eyes it was there, seeping through his eyelids and becoming a glaring orange. It was not a gentle light, and Sora wished it would allow him a moment of darkness, a cool reprieve, but it did not.

Kind of ironic, he thought, to die in such a light.

Was that it? This was unbearable. How could THIS be it? Sora would never have imagined that he would leave so early, so suddenly. No, his heart was screaming, no, this can't be right!

Riku... Kairi... Without them...what would he do? What would THEY do? All his friends: Leon, Merlin, Donald, Goofy and the Beast, and so many others. A tear, boiling even hotter than the air around him escaped, sizzling as it dragged across his face. _I promised her... _He thought back to before he got onto the solar surfer with Jim, how despairingly Kairi had allowed him to leave._ I promised her...and now we'll never see each other again. I'll never get to travel the worlds with her and Riku, or hang out on the beach and do stupid things all day. _And now he wouldn't even have time to feel bad about it because he was falling and it was all about to end. And why the HELL was that light getting even brighter?

Sora's eyes flew open, only to be blinded by a brilliant topaz luminescence. But that didn't make sense because his left arm was pressed up against his face; and it was then that Sora realized that the light he was seeing now was _different_, and that it was coming _from _his arm. The armor Yen Sid and the Fairies had given him, the one with the...

"ROOOOOOAAAAaaaaOORRR!"

A guttural, beastly roar exploded in his ears, and before Sora could even begin to comprehend why, his stomach tried to force its way down through his guts as something dragged him straight up at an impossible speed. Suddenly, it felt as if he were hugging tightly onto something, and it was alive. He felt the rippling of powerful muscle and bone between his arms, and a hot, furry material rubbing up against his face. He clung for his life as he continued his vertical ascent, and only when they leveled out again did Sora lift his head ever so slightly, and saw the impossible.

Next to his face, attached to broad body, was a shifting shoulder blade, from which protruded a huge and powerful furry arm, and then an armored paw. It pumped in and out of sight below him. Then, gazing farther up, Sora watched the beast's head turn to gaze right back at him. It was then that he realized he was riding on the back of a lion, and it's entire body, mane and all, was burning in a perpetual, golden fire.

The creature was staring serenely at him, an intricately forged metallic guard winding across its emperial face- a design similar to that of a mask. Sora could instantly tell there was power behind those amber orbs, and yet he was unafraid. He felt safe, as a matter of fact. It was as if this beast, this Divine Leo, were already his friend. Sora could see the magical flame that thrived on his hands whenever he touched it, but to his bewilderment it did not burn.  
Coming back to terms with reality, Sora broke eye contact to get a bearing on where they were, and, looking back, he saw that the lion was miraculously sprinting upon the air itself, and wherever its golden paws touched the sky, a trail of the same color flame erupted. His left arm, which bore the almost forgotten gauntlet of black and gold, was also burning brightly, the enchanted armor now extending all the way up to his shoulder.

Sora gazed down upon the desintegrating Treasure Planet, only then realizing exactly how high they were. The massive green portal looked almost tiny from here, and he could see the Legacy as it approached the fiery fissure where he had been falling hardly a second before.

... Jim! Sora clutched the lion's mane, his voice laced with worry. "Wait a minute! Go back down; Jim's still falling!"

Before his mount could respond, however, Sora experienced an odd sensation in his pocket, not unlike that of a hot, vibrating phone. It jerked within Sora's red buckle-on pocket, once, twice, and on the third attempt shook itself free. "No!" he cried as he fumbled with it, realizing it was the object he had found on Flint's legendary ship. Branded with that unmistakable sigil, the ringed object was their only clue to the whereabouts of Cyrus and possible even Arcadia. Sora leaned out as far as he could go just before it fell out of reach, but the thing clinked clumsily off his knuckle, and never before had he so ardently cursed his uncoordinated left hand.

Down it fell, sparkling like a ruby teardrop as it darted straight for the triangular portal. And then suddenly, time just ground to a halt.

* * *

Riku skillfully evaded a clawed hand as it arced through the air towards him, the boy turning his momentum into a perfect spin and slaying his fifth heartless in as many seconds. He crouched low as his feet hit the ground, launching himself into a forward dodge-roll to escape the blade of an attacking Air Pirate. To his left, Skyra unleashed a ruthless assault which incorporated a copious amount of stabbing, and to he right was Kairi.

She was having trouble with a couple of Neoshadows, the gang taking individual turns phasing out of range and striking from strategic blinds spots. It also didn't help that several airborne heartless were picking on her from above. Riku could tell she was wearing down, clothes and skin collecting several minor cuts, tired movements accomplishing next to nothing as the evasive monsters avoided her attacks.

_Her inexperience is catching up with her_, he thought. Riku watched the battle drag on. One Neoshadow engaged her in close combat, but it was just a ruse so that its buddy could pounce in from above- and Kairi fell for it. Riku was a blur of motion, not waisting a moment in summersaulting into the air and running the heartless through with a fatal slice of his winged Keyblade. It fell, vanishing into smoke as its killer doubled back and finished off its unsuspecting friend. Kairi looked at Riku in surprise, where he now stood a few paces off.

Riku's eyes were distant as he stood with his back facing Kairi. Something angry reflected in those teal orbs, but she couldn't see it clearly enough to understand just what. "When we get out of here," he said, "you're hitting the simulator."

Perhaps the words came out a little too harsh, for Kairi's face suddenly turned red with embarrassment. It was true; she had tried using ferocity to hide it before, but even during their first battle in Twilight Town she had begun to realize her own lack of real battle competence. And now, what just happened... It only served to remind her that she was a hinderance, merely detrimental to the team.

"I'm trying..." was all she could utter, a small tear of frustration stinging her eyes.

Something in her voice seemed to awaken Riku from his trance, but as he glanced back, wondering what to say, three dozen heartless sprung up from the shadows among them, forcibly cutting off the rest of their exchange. Riku quickly assumed his slouching battle stance, and Kairi seemed unsure as to whether or not she even wanted to lift up her blade, but the decision was made for her when an unexpected jolt threw them several feet forward.

They all tumbled hard onto the deck, Skyra having the misfortune of colliding directly into the stairs. Donald was launched directly in to the cabin wall, Goofy flailing along behind him and subsequently crushing the magician between himself and the wood. After taking a moment to get back on their feet, it only took a second for everyone to realized that it hadn't actually been a jolt at all. They had not even crashed into anything.

The Legacy had simply..._stopped_.

"What's goin' on?" wandered Goofy, prying himself from the wall. Donald, who became three-dimensional again, held his bruised head in his hands while grumbling darkly to himself.

Kairi, the first to notice, said, "The heartless, they're...frozen..."

Indeed, each and every creature that had once been hell-bent on devouring their hearts now stood in perfect stasis.

Riku stepped forwards cautiously, Way to Dawn held at the ready, and rapped his knuckle against the steel helmet of a Soldier heartless. The clunky little creatures only response was a blank, unseeing stare, and Donald presently marched up to the nearest Loud Mouth and smashed it upon the head with his wizard's staff. "Not honking your smug little notes now, are ya?" he mocked in satisfaction.

Riku and Kairi strode to one side of the ship as Donald continued to abuse the defenseless heartless, and the two gazed upon the impossibly still Treasure Planet. It was so silent now, without the vengeful rumbling that shook the world down to it's very core only seconds ago. And it was all grey and colorless, the Legacy, too, and everything else aside from themselves. "Ever encounter a time-stop before?" pried Kairi.

Riku glanced sideways at her, trying to gauge her mood. She kept her eyes on the horizon rather than on him, so it was hard to tell, but it seemed like she was trying to hold herself together. That conversation before, what he had said...it must have hurt her...though how deep the wound ran he had no way of knowing. So quickly, he pushed back that part that always told him to hate himself and looked down to the side. "No." he answered, "Not one this big, at least."

"Hey, you two," called Skyra from the forward deck, "You're going to want to see this." Eyes of blue and teal bet briefly, and the two friends jogged up the battle-worn stairs to see what was so interesting. Goofy noticed and put hand on his pal's shoulder, interrupting a marathon of devious cackling.

"What is it, you bonehead?" snapped Donald crossly.

Goofy, gracious as ever, let the insult slide as if it had never even happened. "C'mon, Donald, urged the knight, "Let's see what the other guys're lookin' at."

"Ah, phooey!" cursed the feathered magician in annoyance, and then, glaring one last time at the heartless, kicked it hard for good measure before waddling off with Goofy.

"Up there," pointed Skyra, drawing their attention to an unusual, golden light high above them. It loped about in the sky, graceful, yet too fast to be a living thing, it's essence blazing like a shooting star.

"What _is _that?" wondered Riku aloud.

Donald's gaze wandered away from the mystery light, and with a surprised quack he dashed over to the banister and hopped up to get a better view. "Look," he shouted, "over there!" the others followed his example and squinted in the direction of the monochromatic portal, where a distant reddish glow had begun to spread.

* * *

At the mere thought of moving, Sora found that he could direct the golden lion in any direction he chose, and that it seemed to possess nearly unlimited speed and agility. He told it to go down, close to the tiny toy ship, and instantly regretted it when the sudden forces of vertigo caused him to hug the lion in a frightened death grip, the mane of fire cutting off his involuntary scream as he buried his face in it. But the ride was over in an instant, and less than a second later, Sora looked up to see that he was almost at ground level, and the Legacy certainly did not look like a plaything anymore.

His Devine Leo shone like the sun, bathing the ship in a golden glow and capturing the attention of the group of friends who stood upon it. They all shielded their eyes against the intense light, but Kairi was the first to see through it. "Sora!" she called out, running to the edge of the deck towards him.

The others followed soon after, all marveling at the fantastical lion on which he rode, and all appearing very happy to see him. Especially Kairi, noted Sora in secret. He felt like a knight in shining armor. Sora relished the image.

"Whoa-ho, where did you get that?" admired Riku. Even he couldn't hide the glimmering in his eyes.

"I'm not so sure myself, but I think it came from this." Sora held out his armored hand, then, "Um, hey... Where's Dr. Doppler and the Captain?"

"Ahyuck! They're frozen just like everything else," supplied Goofy as he pointed to the rear deck.

Hold on... Sora maneuvered his ride so that he was positioned just above the mile-deep crevice, and sure enough, there was Jim, frozen in his attempt to kick start the engine by grinding the rear end of his board up against the wall. Fireworks of white sparks emanated from the point of friction, still and colorless in the clutches of time. Go down, slowly, commanded Sora, but the beast did not budge. Now it seemed to possess a will of it's own, ignoring Sora altogether as it dropped into a crouch and snarled at the growing orb of ruby light in front of them.

Bigger and brighter it grew, tendrils of blood red radiance shooting out from it's core and slashing the sky. Waves of power swirled at it's center, and with a final, outward burst, the light expanded once again into that same symbol. Except this time, it was over two hundred feet tall. Standing vertically, the circular crest threw its blazing crimson beams all throughout the landscape of monochrome. Sora's Leo roared in defiance, but from what, he wondered.

Energy surged all around. Sora felt it in the sky, and in his lungs, and in his hair. It travelled in electrical currents around the edge of the runic symbol, and then from there came waves of spacial distortion. Reality stretched, and before he could brace himself, Sora was forced back by the rapid tidal waves of power that were headed this way. The lion tumbled beneath him, caught it's balance, and began resisting. Sora clung onto the mane tighter than ever, and through the white lines of jet streaming air he managed to get a glimpse of that mark.

And suddenly, through it a massive foot appeared. Followed by a leg, a thigh. A pair of hands pushed through on either side, pulling out the rest of an iron-clad mammoth body. From behind the ancient metallic visor, blood-red eyes blazed, and Sora knew. He'd seen this creature, it's battle worn cape, those winding bull like horns that rose from the parted seams of its helmet. The Leo caught its speed, riding on a huge surge that shot them clear through the pulsing waves and right up to nose level of the gigantic Minotaur.

The radiant lion pawed the air gracefully beneath him, and they levitated weightlessly, meeting with enormous walnut shaped eyes. Sora stared into their starlit depths, the energy within sparkling with pure power. He said, "It's you... From the dream..."

Thick lips curled into a bovine grin, revealing rows of ivory tombstone teeth. The Minotaur's nostrils flared in a deep baritone chuckle that reverberated inside his throat. "FOR SO MANY YEARS, I HAVE BEEN LOCKED AWAY, SORA." It reached over its shoulder and unsheathed an axe that stood taller than its wielder, the simple but effective blade blunted by the struggles of battle. "BUT NOW I CAN FULFILL MY PURPOSE AT LAST, TO TEST YOU, THAT YOU MAY PROCEED WITH YOUR DESTINY."

It brought the shaft of the axe to it's face, scarlet orbs closing momentarily before igniting once again, and it spoke. "ONLY WHEN STRETCHED TI THE BREAKING POINT CAN ONE TRULY GAUGE THE POTENTIAL OF THEIR STRENGTH... ARE YOU READY TO BEGIN?"

"Fight you..." The sheer enormity of the thought left Sora blinking in a haze.

"THEN ALLOW ME TO REPHRASE THE QUESTION." The gigantic sentinel rolled its mountain sized shoulders and set the axe to its side. "YOU ARE THE WEILDER OF THE STRONGEST WEAPON IN ALL THE UNIVERSE, AND YOU HAVE SILENCED SOME OF IT'S DARKEST THREATS SEVERAL TIMES, YET YOU SHIVER IN FRIGHT BEFORE LITTLE OLD ME?" Sora nearly flinched as a thunderous bout of laughter practically shook him from his perch.

From somewhere distant, Sora thought he heard Riku's voice faintly mocking him. "Quit being a wuss, Sora!"

"WELL-" the minotaur grinned "-DID THAT HELP TO EASE YOUR FEARS?"

Sora scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. "Well, when you put it that way..." It was true; he was used to risking his life.

"THEN LET US BEGIN!" In one swift motion, the smiling minotaur hefted his mighty axe and sent it into a ferocious sky-splitting arc toward Sora. The boy's breath caught in his throat as his blazing lion evaded the attack with mere feet to spare, its quick reflexes the only thing saving them from the huge weapons eviscerating path. Sora clung tightly as the lion continued its airborne gallop, the whole atmosphere booming with the guttural sounds of laughter accompanied by the periodic clashing of axe and metal.

"I'M GOING TO ENJOY THIS FIGHT, SORA!" proclaimed the armored giant as he proceeded to launch himself into a multiple strike combo.

_Well, at least someone's happy about this._

Up, down, over and under they flew. It was like a roller coaster, thought Sora. Just like flying a gummiship rocketing through a path infested with heartless, except there were no windshields to block out the wind, and no seat belts to hold him in place while the g-forces try to toss him like a flimsy piece of paper in a storm._ Oh, and let's not forget that gummiships aren't living, breathing, flaming lions that move at speeds capable of displacing internal organs! _Sora's words were devoured by the wind, "Like riding a bike...!"

They looped around, running horizontally through the air, and the head of the minotaur's axe was suddenly thrust in their path. The Divine Leo met the flat of the steel blade with its front paws and kicked off along the shaft towards its wielder. Sora grimaced as they dashed down the grip, focusing all his concentration onto that one point on the massive bull's head, the space right between the eyes. "Now!" he commanded, bracing himself for impact. The lion, wreathed in golden flames, engaged in a turbulent burst of speed, leaving behind a trail like a meteors on its arrow-straight path. They met their target perfectly, the momentum holding them there briefly before the lion leapt free in a glaring clash of sparks.

Through the frozen grey air they tumbled, and as Sora glanced up, he noticed how the stars gleamed an unnatural red in the black sky above, untill his lion flipped gracefully back onto its feet and he returned his gaze to the reeling minotaur. The creature stood straight once again, seeming completely unfazed by the attack as it let out another deep chuckle. "YOU'VE GOT TO HIT ME HARDER THAN THAT, BOY!" he grinned, tapping the metal guard with an index finger.

No way... Looking closely, Sora could distinguish the area they had damaged. It was almost as if nothing had happened at all, and Sora's heart sank when he saw the attack had only left a fair sized impression in the ancient armor. Aside from that, they had accomplished next to nothing.

The giant sent another brutal strike their way, forcing them to dive below in order to avoid it. "NO TIME TO GAWK!" chastised the beast. "YOU MUST THINK ON YOUR FEET!"

"What do you expect me to do?" cried Sora in frustration.

"YOU TELL ME. DON'T YOU THINK THAT CREATURE CAN DO MORE THAN JUST PRANCE AROUND?"

Sora flicked his gaze to the shimmering lion for answers, and found that it was staring back. Those powerful amber eyes bored into him, urgent, like it wanted him to do something. _You're trying to tell me something, aren't you_, thought Sora. _Whatever it is, show me now, I'm listening! _He opened his mind to the flaming beast, digging down deep inside himself.

Down he fell into the darkness, concentrating on nothing except for the link he felt with the creature. It lead him, down where he felt something, a blazing power burning only seconds out of reach. It was huge and it was vast, whirling and shifting within itself in an endless cauldron of gold. It consumed itself and reached out hungrily, then began from its center again without the need for fuel.

Sora gazed upon the sheer size of the flame, and at how small his own body was in comparison. The warm light stroked him in a compelling embrace, and throughout the empty space echoed a voice. It was a curious one, fierce and primal, yet the words seemed to skip around his ears altogether. In fact, Sora realized he wasn't hearing the voice at all, but rather, it resonated within his mind and heart.

"Created on the whims of ancient magic, I am a weapon of terrible strength." The huge, starlike flame pulsed with each syllable spoken, as if the voice were coming from the fire itself. "A tool, nothing more and nothing less; I am conscious only in battle, for that is my fate. If your heart is strong enough to tame my fire, then and only then will I allow you wield it." The voice paused. "Do you understand?"

Sora nodded. Breathing in deeply to steady himself, he extended one hand carefully, then thrust it directly into the raging flares of molten gold. He willed his arm to sit still, even as pockets of heat exploded all the way down to his shoulder and his whole body tingled from head to toe as it tried to accept the sudden injection of magical energy. The voice made the darkness shiver with its might once again. "But beware the things that will weaken your resolve, lest the tool turn against its master and cut his own hand..."

Sora's body jerked and he inhaled sharply, eyes shooting wide as the foreign power pushed itself into every pore and cell, every cavity from his teeth to his fingernails. A short, breath of a laugh escaped his lungs, the sheer enormity of the sensation making him feel superhuman, like he could do anything, anything at all. Fiery tendrils spread like roots in the depths of his royal blue eyes, the light pulsed from within as the Divine Leo spoke it's parting words.

"And now you shall know the names of my abilities. Simply call them out and they shall take form..."

Sora closed his eyes, the darkness swirling in a whirlpool around him.

"Use me well, Keyblade's chosen."

And he was on the lions back again.

The gargantuan minotaur stood sentinel in front of him like before, his red the only blotch of color in the silent, bleached landscape. "YOU SEEM LIKE A NEW PERSON NOW," he observed. "PERHAPS YOU ARE FINALLY UP TO MY CHALLENGE?"

Yes, thought Sora. He truly felt different. Stronger, indestructible, undefinably ready. He wanted to laugh at himself for ever being afraid at all; it wasn't like he'd never fought bigger, like Ansem's heartless form, or Xemnas's dragon. There wasn't even a need to speak- leaning forward with a smile on his face was all it took, and the lion dashed at the minotaur like a shooting star.

The giant grinned, appearing to be satisfied with the simple answer. "COME THEN; GIVE ME A FIGHT TO REMEMBER!"

Everything was a blur from that point on. Sora was aware of an arcing axe as it rushed to them from the right, but like light bouncing off a mirror they deflected towards the ground. Scarcely did the lions paws touch the surface when a second attack hammered in from above. They thundered past the blast zone, dodging the resulting salvo of debris as their dizzy path took them through the labyrinth of metallic blocks like a very bright, very confused bullet. In an instant they were free, and Sora told the lion to go between the giants hulking legs and up towards the back. The minotaur watched as they shot out of eyesight, only able to recover enough to half turn around and sweep the air with an outstretched arm.

The blazing pair sidestepped the appendage with ease, and Sora shouted with amazing force as they followed the giants back towards the sky. Where the words came from, he knew not, but he spoke like he'd known them all his life, "Holy Fire!"

And just like that his keyblade changed, extending to three times its original size and becoming totally consumed in the same sunset-gold flame. Sora drove the weapon into the minotaurs back without hesitation and let their momentum drag it straight through the ancient armor plates. They traversed the distance in less than a second. The majestic, enflamed feline sprinted right up the spine and then kicked off the neck, launching them far into the atmosphere while the Minotaur's surprised growl followed close behind.

_Hey, _thought Sora, _you asked for it, pal._

Down below, the giant minotaur chuckled at the refreshing pain throbbing in his backside. His ruby eyes followed the golden star that was Sora, and with careful aim and several overbearing swings of his axe, he whacked three huge blocks of metal out of their stagnant positions and up into the sky.

Still bolstering with impetus, Sora turned the lion around so that they were facing the massive projectiles while still moving backwards. He watched intently as they hurtled ever closer, knowing his next move would take perfect timing. Finally, the first one was almost thirty feet away and moving faster than they were. Now!

"Hero's Roar!" he commanded.

The lion's jaw sprung wide open, and out came a concentrated blast of light. It exploded on the fifty-foot chunk of steel like a shotgun, piercing the center and scattering it into bits. The second missile arrived, followed by the third, and two more bursts like supernovas ended their threat. The Divine Leo came to a halt- so high now, like a glittering star.

The minotaur, still so huge, laughed from below. "WON'T YOU COME DOWN ALREADY! I'M AFRAID I CAN'T FLY QUITE LIKE YOU CAN!"

The group of (non frozen) bystanders gazed in awe as Sora's magical lion carried him back down at sonic speed and then proceeded to bounce through another minefield of floating metallic boxes, which were consequentially destroyed by the rampaging bull hybrid.

"Well," said Riku, "I certainly didn't see any of this coming."

Donald growled and then turned on him. " Riku! How can you even say something so nonchalant?"

Goofy chuckled into a gloved hand. "Ahyuck! Maybe he just has absolute faith in Sora."

"What?" Donald looked at Goofy, then at the ferocious battle, then at Riku.

_Uhh...,_thought Riku. That wasn't exactly what he had been thinking, but... "Uh, yeah, heheheh..." The boy scratched the back of his slivery head, a false now-it-all grin playing across his lips. "Yeah, Donald-" he crossed his arms cooly "-Have a little more faith, would'ya?"

The feathered magician huffed, sending Riku a glare as sharp as Skyra's daggers. He accepted it with an air of superiority, although inside Riku was anything but. He shot the knight a wink.

_I owe ya one, Goof._

Goofy chortled in amusement, once again returning his attention to the battle at hand. From their position, a hundred or so gigantic blocks that had occupied an entire valley had been crushed into dust by the minotaurs axe...

Sora rose front the destruction atop his starlike beast, and with movements as elegant as a snake's, he wound towards his opponent, once again calling Holy Fire to his aid. His Leo carried him in a disorienting blur, allowing him to strike the minotaur from the left, then behind, and then from above like a flurry of darts. The armored giant staggered with each successive clash, but even as his armor became chipped and broken, he marveled at how his opponent, a mere firefly to him, could pack so much power into each slice.

The minotaur tried swatting at Sora with his weathered axe, but much to his displeasure, the boy easily danced away. "WHY ARE YOU SO TINY?" he cried, exasperated.

"Yeah! Give em hell, Sora!" cheered Riku amongst the whoops of the others.

The minotaur detected Sora coming straight for his face, and with a gruff snort the giant braced himself with one hand. When Sora made impact with the thick gauntlet, the minotaur flung him away with the force of a freight train and followed up with a bovine battle cry and a slam of his axe. The mighty weapon blasted a massive crater into the ground and sent a blazing shockwave in Sora's direction, and although the boy tried to dash to the side, both the height and width of the attack were too much to avoid, and he was knocked completely out of sight.

Everyone standing on the Legacy flinched, except Skyra, who only raised her eyebrows.

* * *

Sora gasped, winded, as the shockwave crushed hid body between the Leo's and the air behind him. He clutched the fiery fur with all his strength, but once they began spinning, the centrifugal force threw him clear off his mount and he tumbled head over heels towards the ground below. His shimmering lion stabilized itself however, and like a faithful companion, it raced over to catch him, although the impact was rather...jarring.

Sora nearly bit his tongue off when his slammed into the lions body. He held his head in one hand as they leveled out, the sudden trauma causing his vision to both spin and darken. He groaned as the pounding settled into an ache, and when something trickled onto his lip he realized his nose was bleeding. He licked some of the coppery liquid away and then tried to wipe off the rest with his gloved hand, and with a quick temple massage told the Leo to take him back.

When he arrived, the minotaur regarded him with a haggard, yet satisfied grin. "FINALLY GOT YOU," he huffed, and a moment later stood erect. "YOU HAVE SHOWN ME THAT YOU HAVE THE POWER TO DEFEND YOURSELF," he praised, and Sora relaxed. "HOWEVER..." the giant looked down on the ship that held the minuscule onlookers. "DO YOU ALSO POSSES THE STRENGTH TO PROTECT THE ONES YOU CARE FOR?"

Without a second's hesitation, the armored creature raised his free hand high above his head and then brought it down on the tiny frozen ship below.

Wooden floorboards creaked and groaned as the occupants of the Legacy ran in fear to the main deck, but the incoming hand was beyond enormous. They stopped and gazed up, knowing that it was like trying to escape the blast zone of a falling moon; running was pointless, unless of course there was a specific region of the hand that you would rather be crushed by. The furry humanoid hand bore down on them, coated in thick metal, large enough to destroy the entire ship within it's own grasp. Donald began casting up a massive reflectaga spell while Riku did the same with his Dark Shield, but they both knew, far beneath their desperation, that it was futile.

In less than a second, the hand had breached the first layer of glowing hexagonal tiles, moving on to shatter the second immediately after. The magical shock of the penetrated force fields threw both Riku and Donald on their backs, the sheer exertion leaving the pair momentarily stunned.

A deep shadow of darkness fell over the entire ship, the inhabitants watching in trepidation, as that dinosaur of a hand somehow became bigger and bigger still. And darker, ever darker...

Until, like a flare in the most lurid desert, a Light that outshined the stars exploded onto the scene. Suddenly, a hot, yellow-white glare bathed every contour of the ship in a perpetual camera's flash as the blazing source of it all collided with the center of the gargantuan palm. Skyra, Kairi, Donald, Goofy, and Riku flinched away from the light's intensity, moments passing before they could finally perceive Sora, the figure cloaked within the writhing, blinding veil. He and his Leo met the minotaur's hand dead on, his rage-filled voice roaring endlessly from the depths of his chest.

"Sora..." muttered Kairi in awe.

"He's..." breathed Riku, too entranced to finish. Even though he knew the light concentration could burn off his retinas, he was utterly helpless in the face of such an enchanting blaze. So alluring...

The minotaur leaned in a little further and grunted in response to the abrupt resistance. He forced Sora down a few yards, but the boy redoubled his effort, and they did this again until at last they were at a standstill. "MPFF!" growled the giant, "STRONG IN SPIRIT AND BODY. I SEE NO WEAKNESS HERE!"

But Sora was hardly listening. The only thing he seemed aware of was the fact that his friends were still being threatened. An insatiable fire overtook his eyes until they shone as bright as the rest of him, and again he released an inhuman cry. Orbs of sunset flame exploded like dying suns around the minotaur's hand, the appendage trembling, slowly failing to hold Sora back as his rage intensified tenfold. Finally, the force became too much for even the steel-clad guardian to match, and utter shock was etched into every detail of his wide-eyed, bovine face as Sora burst right past his hand and knocked the creature square in the jaw. He fell on his rear with a bray like a bull's, and Sora continued to rise far, far up into the heavens.

The battered titan inspected his mandible with two fingers, moving it around in discomfort until the injured joint fell back into place. "SEEMS I UNDERESTIMATED THE KID," he mumbled to himself.

Little did he suspect, however, that Sora wasn't finished yet.

All alone in the painted black sky, the tiny golden star became two, then fifty, and then a thousand. The very air shivered, heralding the approach of a terrifying storm. The minotaur squinted at the phenomena, realizing seconds later that those flecks of light were getting brighter, and they were coming for him! Sora had called on his Infernal Rain, bullets of flaming brimstone tearing through the sky and pelting the minotaur with an awesome ferocity.

"KUH...!" He shielded his face with the blunt side of his axe, the pellets of fire slowly eroding the protective armor on his exposed arms and legs. The Minotaur endured the hellish rain for at least a full two minutes before it finally slowed to a dying drizzle. Just as he moved the axe, however, he realized that Sora was already following up with a ruthless charging attack, and it took all he had to twist out of the way. Sora dashed into the air where the minotaur's face would have been only to be met with a vicious backswing from the side. The edge of the blade only clipped him, but still the force was enough to drive him and his lion directly through several static blocks of metal and deep into the planet's surface.

Realizing what he'd instinctively done, the Minotaur strode up to the new pile of decimated junk metal and watched for any sign of movement. The giant sheepishly scratched the exposed fur on the back of his head, unsure of what to do. He hadn't intended to hit the kid so hard... He was, after all, still human...

"Sora!" cried Goofy from the Legacy's stern

In the stillness, even the Minotaur could almost perceive the knight's voice. As he stood there, contemplating what this meant for their fight, the ancient behemoth warrior couldn't help but notice a chunk of debris shift upon the mound of decimated machinery. Just slightly, it moved, and then it jolted again when a faint BOOM shook the small mountain from deep within. The Minotaur grunted, tilting his massive head and observing the new development through squinting eyes.

All throughout the pile of wreaked machinery, a burning light pierced through each crack, causing the metal to liquify and glow an intense red with the skyrocketing heat. Another wave of power pulsed from it's core, and at this point the mythical guardian, who was no greenhorn to battle, had begun to catch on. He readied his cumbersome axe, but an instant too late.

BOOM!

It was like a bolt of lightning, like a bullet from a sniper rifle, but faster, as a golden light visibly ejected air particles out of its way at sonic speed. It burst from the mountain of debris and struck the Minotaur with enough blunt trauma to split his chest guard in several places.

"UHNN!" grunted the giant, both from pain and from shock.

In the very heart of that starlike orb, Sora sat, bruised and battered, on the back of his Divine Leo. Where his body should have been crushed, it seemed the golden blaze had absorbed most of the damage, and now he looked quite unusually ticked off. Immediately after the first impact, Sora unleashed a merciless stream of attacks, pummeling the Minotaur again and again and again, calling forth his Holy Fire several times to help him pierce the armor. The onslaught continued at an impossible speed, the living ball of fire much too agile for the Minotaur to defend against, let alone counter. Sora was finally ready to end this fight, but he knew his foe wouldn't break unless he finished him off with something _big_.

And so he searched. He looked to his Leo for power, though he knew it would take the rest of its strength. And within himself, for the light that surrounded his darkness and also the light within that. He reached for the stars, for their light, too, and to his friends, for the fires that burned in their souls. Sora gathered them all together, letting their heat multiply, giving their power form. He saw the threads of scorching incandescence in his mind, swirling, weaving, and tangling, but never touching, never exploding, in perfect harmony, perfect control. They were waiting, waiting to burst out, to incinerate all they touched until nothing remained to threaten the innocent.

Sora concentrated its point of origin on the ground below the Minotaur, knowing that when it came out, the result would be absolutely catastrophic. The torn surface of the doomed Treasure Planet trembled in a violent fit, and the giant that still safeguarded the portal stumbled. Sora let the energy roil until he could hold it no longer, and with a voice that rattled the very stars shouted, "Enternity's End!"

From a place near the Minotaur's feet erupted a fountain of gold flame, causing the ground to crack and melt as the creature was literally blown into the air. Sparkling flares- hundreds of them- flew into the sky after him, their tails trailing sparks as they danced, exploding like fireworks where they struck each part of his body one by one in rapid succession. They pounded him, faster and faster, until their molten glow peaked into a blinding frequency, and the darkness in the sky fled from it's embrace. Finally, a deep, drawn-out cry announced the Minotaur's defeat, and the light flashed once more before the wind receded, and everything went silent.

A lingering, luminescent afterglow highlighted every scratch and every contour of every surface it touched, eventually fading until the visibility became normal once again. Left barely standing in the center of a vast field of destruction, the Minotaur's powerful physique was hunched over in exhaustion, leaning heavily on his knees for support. His nostrils flared in tune with his ragged breathing, fresh burns and scratches adorning his battered armor and torn crimson cape. Sora, having vented his rage, also appeared to have calmed down.

"Is it...over?" he dared to ask. His Leo hovered, a silent mirage in the air, and Sora knew it could do no more for him since he'd exhausted the rest of its strength on that last attack.

"INDEED... I SUPPOSE IT IS..." huffed the Minotaur between breaths. He took another moment, then rose slowly to his full height once more, lifting his axe with some effort and chuckling a tired, happy rumble. "HOW LONG IT HAS BEEN SINCE A BATTLE HAS LEFT ME THIS WAY... YOU HAVE SHOWN ME YOUR STRENGTH." He nodded in approval."YOU PASS."

Sora was so elated to hear those words, he forgot to ask why he was being tested in the first place.

"I HAVE SLEPT FOR SO LONG AWAITING YOUR COMING, I ALMOST FORGOT WHAT BATTLE WAS LIKE... HOWEVER, THIS DAY WAS CERTAINLY WORTH THE WAIT, AND I WILL REMEMBER IT FOR MANY YEARS!" The Minotaur put on a huge, genuine smile. "THANK YOU, SORA."

Sora was taken aback by how happy the giant seemed, even in defeat, though a smile of his own crept onto his face as a calming flood of relief washed through him. "So...what now?" he inquired, eyebrows scrunching together.

"THROUGHOUT THE WORLDS TO COME, THERE EXIST OTHERS LIKE ME. SEEK THEM OUT, AND THEY SHALL BECOME THE KEYS TO WHAT YOU ARE SEARCHING FOR."

The Minotaur lifted his staff, dropping it again and letting the tip pound a small crater into Treasure Planet's surface. "BUT BEWARE," he warned, "FOR THEY WILL CHALLENGE YOU AS I HAVE, AND BE WARNED: I AM NOT THE DEADLIEST AMONG THEM."

"Wh-wait a second," uttered Sora on shock, "they're others worse than YOU?"

The Minotaur became clouded in a shroud of blazing red light, another baritone chuckle emerging from the depths of his chest. "AND ONE MORE THING BEFORE I LEAVE, SORA..." The Minotaur was barely visible at this point, the light around him shrinking while his voice lingered behind. "...WATCH OUT FOR THE MAST."

What? thought Sora, but before he could ask what the heck that was supposed to mean, the silhouette of light before him collapsed, and with a warped sucking noise drew in waves of ruby starlight, just as they had exited upon the Minotaur's arrival. With a pop, the ball of luminescence disappeared, and Sora felt a familiar object shoot right into his pocket.

Suddenly, yet in an oddly delayed fashion, sound began making it's way back into Treasure Planet, like a television set gradually having it's volume turned up. Color, too, crept in like spreading ivy, and soon enough everything just snapped-_ and the blocks were rising and the sky was blood red and the Planet's roar hit Sora like a hurricane as the whole scene thrust itself back into action_. He turned on his mount, and suddenly he understood the full meaning of the Minotaur's last words.

The Legacy, freed at last from its temporal stasis, jolted its otherworldly passengers, sails billowing with energy as it rocketed towards the green portal.

And lo and behold, who was hovering right in front of those sails...but Sora.

Move! he told the lion, and up they went, just managing to scrape by the tip of the crow's nest as it raced by. They maneuvered around it in an upside down arc, leveling out again behind the narrow ship, and it was then that Sora realized where it was headed. Oh sure it was on a direct course with the triangular, trans-dimensional gate, but that wasn't the problem, not quite. The problem was that was still opening onto that raging inferno, the core which was preparing to self-destruct in a matter of seconds. And the worst part?

Jim was nowhere to be seen.

Sora tried boosting ahead, but his Leo flickered. Like a weakened light bulb it dimmed, the spectral image losing it luster as well as its speed. Panic fluttered in his chest, and he urged the beast forward with what little energy remained within it. He was still traveling faster than the Legacy, but he would not make it to the holographic projection first.

The ship was already about to cross the craggy chasm that had rifted before the glowing portal. From somewhere up ahead Sora heard the distinctly shrill voice of BEN, announcing, "Seventeen seconds!"

Sora kept his eyes fixed on the jagged orange line that was the endless crack they had fallen into before. "Come on, Jim..." he pleaded, "come on..."

* * *

A good two hundred feet down the fissure of steel, James Hawkins was running out of available space to fall. The molten glow down below cast its brilliant glare across the walls, making them flare a hot yellow-orange as if on fire. Long since abandoning the spark pedal on his homemade solar surfer, Jim had sought to reignite the small rotating engine by flipping the board around and grinding the rear end against the metallic wall. He held tight as the friction emitted sparks, fighting the violent vibrations and pointing the nose up as the heat around him intensified.

The engine withstood this punishment for several precious seconds, before a couple of flaps suddenly broke off, the whole thing now glowing a searing white-hot. Finally, the mechanisms were set in frantic motion, a jet of combustion spewing out the back and making Jim look like a rocket ship as he hurtled straight up. He saw the hull of the Legacy transverse the abyss overhead, and reached it only half a second later, for he knew there was nothing quite like a solar surfer's dying fire. He rose above the lip of the crevasse only a few feet, engaging in an insane half-twist flip so that he was standing upright again. The board picked up speed, and with practiced grace Jim swerved so that he was between the Legacy and the portal.

"Seven..." began BEN from somewhere behind him. Jim raced down the final stretch, evading several more shifting pieces of metal, passing through craters made by the Minotaur's massive two-toed hooves without even realizing it.

"Six..." called the robot, becoming increasingly more panicked.

"Five!" Just a little more...

"Four!" Dr. Doppler cringed away, forcing himself to hold the wheel steady, the fire within the core barely contained.

"Three!" Jim was approaching the neon projection of the galaxies, locking on to just that one shape, right in the center...

"TWO!" The ground passed in a ridged blur underneath him. Jim shifted the surfer so that he was almost upside down, his one hand the metal while the other hand reached below his crouched body.

_Bink!_

... He hoped he'd pressed the right image, because whatever appeared on the other side, he would be the first to face it.

* * *

Meanwhile, in an open sector of space, all was calm. The Montresser space port loomed, a shining crescent moon shape over Jim's home planet, also called Montresser. Its intense white glow masked the docking ships and gravity-defying buildings, the everyday hustle and bustle carrying on in the late evening orbit. The deep blue canvas of stars beyond Montresser was picturesque, and no one there could have guessed what would happen next.

Suddenly, a vertical green line knifed open a slash in the cosmos, and all at once the doorway expanded into a triangle, and from within it burst an explosion of fiery debris, hot on the Legacy's tail. The blaze of light put the sails into instant hyperdrive, propelling the ship far out of the hellfire's reach. The destruction that had followed them out simultaneously destroyed the space-rending mechanisms on the other side, causing the portal to collapse just as quickly as it had opened.

Cheers of elation erupted from the ship, even the imprisoned pirates in the storage room celebrating through gagged mouths. Jim whooped his own cry of joy, floating lazily past the stern before looping to the starboard side, where Mr. Silver waved at him with a meaty giant's arm. Jim zoomed by and gave the cook a high-five, laughing along with him as he grinded the dying solar surfer along the opposite rail until it ran out of momentum and he dismounted with ease. The teen was instantly met with the joyful praises of the company on deck, laughs and smiles passed in waves throughout the small group.

Sora finally caught up the the vessel, and everyone watched in amazement as he brought the Leo down onto the deck. With a flicker and a flare, it disappeared, evaporating like ethereal mist into the forearm of Sora's armor.

"Sora!" exclaimed Jim, who pushed over to put his hands on the boy's shoulders. "I thought you were dead..." he dropped his gaze from Sora's eyes to his black and gold gauntlet. "And what was that thing?"

Sora looked at the slightly shimmering object as well, and said simply, "A new friend." Then he smiled breathlessly. "Whew, man...-" he placed his hands behind his head "-I thought I wouldn't be able to catch up in time. It's a good thing you came back up, aaand hey, Kairi-"

But Sora was unable to speak another word more, because without explanation, Kairi had pulled him away from Jim, grabbed his head, and pressed his lips against hers. Everyone on deck watched as Sora's eyes shot wide for a brief second, before relaxing into a dazed stare. Some of the others raised eyebrows in surprise, and some others just smiled. Riku looked slightly shocked, but in such a way that he probably should have seen this coming.

Kairi didn't seem to care, and Sora was...well...distracted.

The moment lasted a little longer, and when Kairi finally broke the connection, Sora's body went sort of limp, and he fell back into Jim's arms. Kairi giggled at the effect the kiss had produced on him, then walked away while attempting to hide the tint of pink in her cheeks.

Riku strode over and helped set Sora up against the mast, relieving Jim of having to hold the boy up. "Hey," he said, waving one hand in front of his friend's face. "Sora, how're you feeling, buddy?"

"Ri...ku... She..." he giggled, looking heavily sedated. "... She...ki...ss..." he let out another high-pitched titter, unable to finish the barely coherent thought. The kid looked so happy, the world could be exploding all over again and he would probably just laugh, because it just didn't matter; what else could possibly matter more than this?

Riku sighed at Sora's vacant state of mind, then got up, deciding to just leave him there until he stopped staring at the floor between his feet like it was a magical cheeseburger from his most heavenly reoccurring dream (Sora told him everything, even the weird ones).

Not far away, Captain Amelia was talking to Jim, one hand placed over her chin in thought. "Highly unorthodox, but ludicrously effective..." she observed, smiling. "I'd be proud to recommend you to the interstellar academy. They could use a man like you."

Jim's face was a combination of awed and humbled; never would he have believed he would some day get a real life, a real future! He saw Morph and Mr. Silver beaming proudly from a small distance away, and Dr. Doppler suddenly appeared to vent his excitement. "Just wait until your mother hears about this!" he exclaimed animatedly, then wrapped one arm over the boy's shoulder and added, "Of course, we may downplay the life-threatening parts..."

Jim chuckled, along with Donald and Goofy, who nodded in approval.

Next up was BEN. The lanky copper robot approached Jim with his ear-to-ear smile, looking ready to fry a circuit out of excitement. "Jimmy," he said, eyes shining, "that was...UNBELIEVABLE! I know you don't like hugging, but get ready big guy, 'cause I gotta hug ya! Haha...!"

BEN clung tightly to Jim's torso, and to his immense surprise, the boy returned the gesture for the very first time, heaving the android up into the air and swinging him around in a circle. When his feet touched back down on the deck, BEN was staring at Jim with a new light in his smile. "Hey, you hugged me back! Oh, I promised myself I wouldn't cry! Ahahahahaaa!"

Somewhere between BEN bursting into tears and Jim eventually managing to detach the rusty machine from himself, Sora's eyes finally refocused out of their crossed positions. He observed the little party with sluggish awareness until he was able to push himself to his feet, although he had to use the mast for support at first. Man, he'd heard of people going weak at the knees, but this was just...

He blinked in disbelief, a moment of clarity allowing him to recall his interaction with Kairi. _Please tell me that was real_, he prayed, then: _Please tell me Roxas wasn't paying attention._

Sora massaged his forehead, trying to sooth his nerves into submission. Why did his life have to be so awkward? And when did Kairi get so bold? Resolving to just not even mention it with Roxas, Sora turned his gaze to the side, where he spotted Riku perched on the port side banister. Shaking out the remaining weakness in his limbs, Sora strode over to his stargazing friend.

The whole sky was ablaze in the most hypnotizing shade of blended orange and pink. It was like sunset, except everywhere at once, with the little pinpricks of distant stars giving the scene a magical quality like no place else. The solar sails high above soaked in the nebulous light, their hexagonal viens sparkling with rivers of intense gold. Sora truly felt that such depth, such beauty, deserved to be stared at forever...and maybe that's just what he would have done of he'd only had the chance...

Sora hopped onto the thick, polished railing in front of Riku, letting his feet dangle over the bright abyss below. In his lightheartedness, Sora didn't quite catch the slight broodiness in Riku's eyes before it disappeared completely, to be replaced with calculating amusement. "'Morning, sleepyhead," he teased. "You got a little something there on your lip..."

"Huh?" Sora turned his head away, cheeks burning as he wiped a thin smear of gloss from the edge of his mouth. Riku laughed at the embarrassment he'd caused.

"Uh... just...shut up, Riku!" shot back Sora. Riku continued to laugh, and Sora eventually released a little chuckle of his own. A moment passed in comfortable silence, the angelic shape of the Montresser space port looming ever closer up ahead.

"So, Riku..." began Sora.

"Hm?"

The boy smiled wide, placing his hands behind his head like a pillow. "Looks like we finally found a world big enough to contain all your ego."

Riku grunted and weaved his arm into the tough rope of the rat lines. "Yeah," he agreed. "We should come back here... It's definitely worth going through that crazy portal again."

Sora lifted his gaze, taking a deep breath of the etherium. "Definitely." he answered. Where else could one breath in outer space?

But, speaking of that portal... "Hey, Riku. How're we going to get back...?"

The two stared at each other in stunned silence.

"Please tell me you brought that bracelet with you," said Riku in rapid-fire words.

"Oh!" Sora dug through his pocket in dread, but a relieved breath escaped his lips when he felt his fingers wrap around the metallic object. He pulled it out, noticing a blinking light near a button that read, "return -".

"Guess that means it's time to go," he observed.

"Yeah," said Riku, climbing down from the banister,"before Captain Amelia reports us to the authorities for stowing away on her ship and then tries to find our nonexistent parents."

"Good point."

The two went and gathered the others, signaling to them that it was time for their departure. Jim noticed them standing together, and confronted them. "What are you guys doing?"

It was Sora who answered. "It's been fun, Jim, but we have to go now."

"Go...? Go where?"

"Up there!" said Donald, pointing one finger to the sky.

Jim looked up, uncomprehending. "You guys aren't from Montresser?"

Sora scratched the back of his neck. "Uh, something like that, yeah."

Jim could never know that, just outside his world, there were hundreds of other galaxies that existed within a whole other universe. That kind of knowledge might be too much for him, that everything he knew was concealed inside the center of a violet vortex, where the green triangle of Captain Flint's portal opened onto a crescent moon. The thought made Sora question just how big or small any of this really was. They might have shrunken to the size of a pinpoint, or_... Maybe..._thought Sora...

_...we were already that small._

Regardless, this was the biggest world he'd ever seen, and that, he realized, made it all the more dangerous. They were going to have to lock it from the outside when they got back...

"Gawrsh," said Goofy, snapping Sora out of his thoughts, "has anyone seen Mr. Silver?"

Everyone, aside from Captain Amelia and Dr. Doppler (for they were caught up in a conversation of their own), searched the deck with their eyes, just now becoming aware of a sudden lack of their favorite pirate. Jim took a quick glance around, and an expression of understanding came over his face. "You know," said the teen, "he's probably trying to escape on our last longboat."

Donald huffed. "That guy just never gives up."

"Guess I'll have to head 'im off," trailed Jim, glancing fondly to the stairs that lead below deck. Although, something told Sora that capturing Mr. Silver wasn't exactly what Jim had in mind.

"Well, tell him goodbye for us anyway."

Jim nodded. "And Sora?"

Sora tilted his head. "Yeah, Jim?"

A wispy cloud of stardust blew by on a stream of celestial wind, and Jim did something no one would have expected of him, and wrapped his arms around Sora, hugging him tight. "Thank you." he said, "You guys did a lot."

From doing chores to fighting off the heartless, Sora remembered all they had been through with Jim over the past weeks, and suddenly everyone else joined into a big group hug. Skyra had to be dragged into complying, to which she invariably responded: "You guys are idiots."

Everyone laughed.

Finally, when everyone had settled back into place, Sora pressed the button on the return device, and a white light overtook the waving visitors and spirited them away.

* * *

Yay for cheesy endings! And you know what?

...That was only the first world.

I guarantee you'll love the second ;)

Anyway, now that you've all had a written rendition of Treasure Planet, I would seriously advise you to watch the actual movie. And if my word isn't enough, check out an awesome video review I found on YouTube. Just search, "Buried Treasure: Treasure Planet". It's got two parts, so I hope you enjoy!

I'll spare you a long rant on the impossibility of this chapter. Let's just say that Christmas break hit, I had serious issues writing, and Phoenix Wright is addicting. Simple as that really, though I am sorry for the long wait. Hey, I worked hard to bring home the bacon on this one, so I hope you enjoyed it anyway!

Me: Yeah, in any case, I thought that moment between Sora and Kairi was sweet. In the actual movie, there wouldn't have been nearly enough time to shove all that in, but let's just pretend everything kinda paused for the sake of the story. And hey, Sora was awesome, but Jim was still the hero. I made sure that it turned out that way so that Sora wouldn't undermine the Disney characters like he always does. .

Axxela: Yeah, and I just wanted to take the liberty to say: THEY FINALLY KISSED!

Me: Eheh... Like I said, I'm not a romantic writer. I was actually planning to save that for the end so that everyone would shout, "It's about freaking time!", but this story needs more than just normal fighting action. I'm just kinda hoping it worked (it felt right...), so feel free to fill me in on that in your reviews.

Axxela: So, what should I do to celebrate my chapter?

Me: I don't know, I thought you weren't gonna do anything.

Axxela: But that's no fun!

Me: Well, you're late anyway. This was a two-part chapter, so technically that makes this chapter 16.

Axxela: Screw that, I'm doing something! Follow me, everybody! (Axxela zooms outside, where a massive ramp points into the distance)

Me: What the heck is this thing doing outside my house?

Axxela suddenly comes out of nowhere on her emerald rollerblades, traveling at sonic speed as she launches up the ramp and into the air.

Me: Hey, watch out for that wall!

Axel: Ouch, she went right through that... Wonder if it hurt... :)

Me: Probably not... And when did you get there?

Well, I got a couple of fun things planned for next chapter, so hopefully things will improve. I'm really sorry it took me so long to get this up. There really isn't any excuse, but I think I'm getting some of my momentum back. Really, I am sorry

Whatever. Happy (late) birthday to me, and happy Easter, everybody!

The review button is feeling very lonely today. Help make it feel mette by clicking on it.


	17. Stargazers

Chapter 17

Hello everyone and welcome back! Last chapter was pretty crazy, so of course this next one is much more low key. Sorry, no action, but there is a fair amount of Riku angst instead! (Remember when he accidentally upset Kairi last chapter? That will play a big role in this one, just in case you've forgotten.)

Thank you **Crystal4458**, **DannyPotterLovesGod**, **the hooded silhouette**, and **Cheyenne**for reviewing the last chapter. Apparently, Crystal thought my scenes with the Spirit of Power were "PIMP", which made me smile, and I'm glad she and DannyPotter agreed on the way Sora's first kiss turned out. You're right, guys; he's totally naive~ :)

**The Hooded Silhouette**, huh? Nice name, and thanks for the compliments. And yeah, I think I know who you are, as if your name alone wasn't enough of a clue, ya psychopath. :D What I really wanna know is how you SOMEHOW managed to skip every one of my chapters until the 15th. Granted, they aren't as well thought out as recent chapters, but seriously, what's up with that?

Hi Cheyenne! Wow, way to put everything into a barely intelligible paragraph. Haha, just kidding.

Anyway, I love seeing what you guys think of my chapters, so stop lollygagging around and get reading so you can comment all over again! K

* * *

Cyrus report #2

...What an amazing discovery I've come across: a space-time compressing vortex! But what odd and wonderful things exist inside! It is larger, so much more expansive than any other world I have ever seen. Thousands of distinct life form with such variety, whole pants and nebulae.

And the stars! Not containing separate worlds like ours, but instead colossal proportions of flammable gas, and for the most part hydrogen. They give off so much light, boiling so hot that one would burn long before ever reaching their surface.

As for the etherium, for that is what I have decided to call it, I cannot know for sure how one is able to breathe in space. I propose that, instead of the endless vacuum of space we are familiar with, each planet shares a single atmosphere with all others. Despite this, the gravity levels are the same on Montresser as they are on Radiant Garden. How could gravity exist normally while gaseous atoms float freely in space? A question I will ponder until I have the chance to fully investigate.

Even more intriguing is the warping of the flow of time created by the vortex. It seems that the temporal difference between the interior of the vortex and the outside universe is about a ratio of four-to-three. In other words, an object that enters the portal and stays for six days before it is retrieved has, in actuality, aged eight days. Why such a strange ratio exists, however, I am not sure.

Additionally, is the vortex, which opens and closes every few days, a portal to another universe, or is the universe compressed within its center? I must return to this world someday to vestige these mysteries. My adventures there will also be recorded in detail in a personal log, a journal that I keep on my person at all times.

-End of Cyrus report

* * *

Upon teleporting back into the Cygnus gummiship, their arrival was greeted with the smell of ionized air and the sound of sizzling hardware. Sora, Riku, and Kairi all stepped out of the two-way transceiver chamber in the main control room of the cockpit, followed by Donald, Goofy, and Skyra. Remembering the devastation caused by the ravaging asteroid storm, the group was quite relived to see that there still WAS a Cygnus gimmiship. Multiple screens projected various warnings and damage reports in front of the windshield of the main hub, each screen flashing and beeping in alternating sequences, begging the attention of anyone who happened to be in the room. Still, a few nicks and dings, as they say, was better than no gummiship at all.

"It's about time," said Donald with an agitated sigh. "I never want to go to that crazy world ever again!"

Goofy placed a hand to his chin, his dog whiskers twitching slightly as he hummed in thought. "Gee, Donald. What about goin' ta visit Jim on his home planet?"

The duck crossed his arms adamantly and shook his head. "Na-UH. Never!"

Sora and Riku crossed the room towards the pilot seats on the lower deck, and as they did, they noticed the source of that sizzling hiss. They both looked to the sloped ceiling, where Skyra's knife was still embedded in the short-circuited remains of a speaker, the same one that had had the misfortune of ticking her off.

"How'd that get there?" asked Sora.

Riku continued to watch the knife, thoughtfully contemplating his response. "Remember during that meteor storm, when the ship suddenly stopped saying 'warning'?"

Sora nodded.

And uncomfortable look crossed Riku's face. "That's why."

"Oh..."

Sora didn't say anything else.

The two friends made it to the three swivel chairs at the front of the cockpit, and as they examined the one to the right, noticed that the seatbelt had indeed snapped during the storm. "You were right, Riku," said Sora. "It did break..."

Riku stared at the strap of limp leather whilst rubbing the back of his head, the memory of phantom pain lingering where the injury used to be. "Yeah..." he mumbled, "That really hurt..."

"What's going on, guys?" asked Kiari, suddenly appearing right next to them.

"Oh!" Sora turned around in surprise, his signature smile already forming as he brought his hands up and clasped them behind his head. "Remember when Riku had that really bad concussion? It turns out the seatbelt really did break."

"Oh... That sounds painful..."

"It's fine. I'm okay now," said Riku as he stepped back. There was a strange air of uncertainty about him, though whether he felt uncomfortable or something else they couldn't tell.

At that moment, a new window chose to open up by itself on the windshield, and Riku turned to look at it instead.

All other sounds and flashing programs ceased when the receiver picked up a new signal, a familiar voice meeting their ears as the screen projected live, two way video feed. "Hey!" said a rough voice accompanied by static, "Can anyone read me out there?"

Everyone in the cockpit looked up to see none other than Cid Highwind. The man appeared to be sitting in front of a computer in a dimly lit room. Sleepless nights sustained by unholy amounts of caffeine had etched dark circles into the engineer's face, but nearly all traces of lethargy left him the moment he laid eyes on them.

"Kids? Hey kids, is that you?"

"Cid!" exclaimed Sora, Donald, and Goofy in unison. "Hey!"

"Haha!" Cid slapped his knee victoriously; his toothpick shot up in his mouth as he twisted in his seat to look behind him. "Hey Leon, I got 'em!"

A few seconds passed, and voice was faintly heard mumbling "... What?", before another figure appeared out of the darkness behind Cid. Looking like he had just been sleeping, Leon rubbed his left eye as the glow from Cid's computer illuminated his body.

"Didn't I tell you not to go dozin' off at the table?" said Cid. "Open up your eyes so you can see who I found!"

Leon blinked against the harsh light; his eyes eventually adjusted, only to shoot open wide at the sight of them and he had to rub them again. "Sora...? Donald, Goofy...!" he said, being more closely acquainted with the three. "You guys; is that really you?"

Even though Leon still looked the same, wore the same blue jacket with the furred hood, he seemed, like Cid, much more tired than usual. The scar tracing an oblique path down his face made him look a much older, and the awed quality in his voice made the silent warrior seem like all his hope had been clinging to a tiny thread for a very long time.

"Yeah, it's us..." answered Sora, gesturing to everyone in the cockpit, looking somewhat confused.

Kairi picked up the same strange vibe as well. "What's happened, Leon?"

"Well," he started, now wide awake, "three weeks ago, you guys just suddenly dropped off the map.

"What?" said Sora, tilting his head in thought. "But we were on that world much longer than three weeks..." True, the days had begun to blend together after the first week on the Legacy, but Sora was still quite sure they had stayed for at least a month.

"Maybe there was a time difference between that world and the rest of the universe," suggested Donald.

"Either way, Chip and Dale sent me a message saying that your signal'd disappeared. At first I jus' thought those jittery little chipmunks got too excited and screwed somethin' up, but then I checked my own equipment just to be sure, and my trackers'd stopped receiving your signal." Cid leaned back in his chair, massaging his forehead heavily. "Do you know what it's like to go three weeks without having any idea where you kids ran off to?"

Leon gazed somewhere off screen, like he was recalling a bleak memory. "We tried keeping our heads up," he reported darkly, "but inside we all had assumed the worst."

"Yeah, Mr. Fearless Leader here's been pacing circles in the floor ever since," added Cid. "I couldn't get 'im to sit down for more n' a few minutes! Had to get King Mickey to talk 'im outta dropping everything an' mounting a full scale recovery expedition."

Leon gave Cid one of his signature glares. "That's enough out of you," he growled. The ghostly light shining on the Leon's face didn't help Cid's case, as it made the man look even more intimidating. Cid was somewhat immune to its effects, however, and soon shrugged it off, or else diverted his attention to the monitor to distract himself.

"Oh..." said Sora with apologetic eyes. "Well...I'm sorry. We didn't mean to make you worry over us."

Cid huffed with a little grin. "Crazy kids. Can't trust ya by yourselves without going missing..."

"Oh, what do you know!" said Donald indignantly. "I'd like to see you out here getting attacked by meteors and pirates and all kinds of baloney!"

"Well anyway," said Leon, "you guys are okay, and that's more important. "Call up King Mickey," he told Cid. "He should be the first to know."

"Sending our signal," reported Cid. His fingers tapped the keyboard mechanically, their brusque, precise movements proof of someone who had been doing it all his life.

"Oh boy, oh boy; the King!" exclaimed Donald, immediately perking up from his grouchy mood.

"He got happy real quick," observed Riku.

Sora smiled knowingly. "They're the King's best friends. Of course."

Another window opened up on the screen beside Leon and Cid, glowing a pale blue as a white loading dial chased its own tail for several minutes. Finally though, the signal got through, and the receiver transmitted the encoded video feed on the gummiships windshield.

Suddenly, a very tired looking mouse appeared on screen. He appeared to be situated within the cockpit of a gummiship with many lights and switches visible on a ceiling panel, as well as two short rows of empty seats built into the floor behind him. The King seemed worn such as they had never seen him before, one fist supporting his round head, his downcast eyes gazing idly at the command console on which he leaned. Worry lines etched themselves into his forehead, and his reddened, drooping eyes were evidence of almost debilitating insomnia.

Their disappearance, it seemed, had hit King Mickey hardest of all.

"What is it, Leon?" said Mickey, frowning. "I haven't located any nearby energy readings." He sighed. "There's nothing to report."

"Your Majesty, we have some very important news for you," said Leon.

Mickey didn't seem like he cared. "...What?"

"Look at your screen."

With a blink he complied, and the moment he set eyes on Sora and the others he shrieked, "AAHH!" and jolted right out of his chair. He stared up at the projected screen in shock, still on his bum on the floor.

"Hey, Your Majesty!" cheered everyone in the Cygnus cockpit, all waving at him.

Mickey looked, to everyone else, absolutely dumbfounded. At first his eyes showed disbelief, then they flicked to alleviation, and then almost got all teary. The mouse blinked rapidly and jumped to his feet. He hesitated to say something, then, clenching his fists for a moment, spoke.

"Where WERE you?"

His anger caught them off guard.

"You were gone for almost a month! You had me so worried!" scolded Mickey. "Don't ever disappear on me like that again-" he aimed a finger at them "-that's an order!"

Sora flinched back a little at Mickey's passionate outburst, and everyone from Donald to Riku averted their gaze and rubbed their heads, all feeling guilty about their absence. Leon and Cid looked away from the screen, if only to let the others keep some of their dignity, although they both kept an ear out for the answer as well.

Goofy shrunk a bit despite his height, taking his hat off his head and wringing it nervously with his hands. "W-We're sorry, Your Majesty..." he apologized earnestly. "We didn't mean to just up and vanish like that..."

"Yeah," said Donald, twisting one webbed foot, clasping his hands behind his back. "Please don't be mad..."

After a few seconds, Mickey's finger dropped. His shoulders relaxed and his expression softened, a small, weary smile flaring up. "No," he sighed, "I'm sorry for yellin' at you guys. The last few weeks have been kinda tiring is all... 'Been searching everywhere for ya, but this ship just ain't as big as yours; it can't go as far."

Leon banged his hands on the console loudly. "Then why didn't you let me help look for them?" he asked heatedly. Somehow, the others felt this was stemming from a previous conversation.

"I already told you, Leon," said King Mickey. "You can't just run off into space; you're needed at the Garden now more than ever."

"Tch...!" Leon lowered his glare, looking conflicted.

"'Now...more than ever...?'" repeated Kairi thouthfully.

"Whaddya mean by that, Your Majesty?" asked Sora.

King Mickey shared a glance with Cid and Leon, and then turned back to the others. "It's nothin' too big, but..."

"Radiant Garden has seen a recent increase in the number of local heartless," finished Leon. He rose to his full height once again, although a bit unwillingly. "They gather around the town sometimes, and they're constantly waiting at our doorstep. It's unsafe to leave city boundaries now."

"Had to develop a brand new defense system just ta' keep the little guys at bay," said Cid as he thumbed his nose, a habitual motion he often performed without even realizing it. "Well...most ain't so little any more..."

"Gawrsh," said Goofy, "Ya got more heartless, ya say?"

"And they like to break through and cause mayhem," added Leon darkly. "We have to stay on our toes in case they get in... A bunch are exterminated every day, but without the keyblade's power, they eventually just keep coming back."

"Huh... Wonder why they're acting like that," thought Sora aloud. This new development, although quite concerning, at least explained why Leon, Cid and Mickey all seemed to have aged a few decades. The responsibility of defending the Garden, combined with the stress of their disappearance, would have done a number on anyone.

As for the cause, however, he could only speculate that Xemnas might be involved. It was the unsettling aura in the air that let everyone know they were all thinking the same thing. That particular thought need not be voiced.

"And that's not everything," said Mickey.

Everyone in the Cygnus's cockpit turned their eyes back to the screens.

"It's hard to explain, exactly..." said Leon. He stood absolutely still, holding a fist to his lips, eyes closed.

This behavior, to any experienced Leon watcher, signified intense inner reflection, and often of the brooding kind. Generally, those who worked closely with Leon knew better than to disturb him during such moments, but there was always that random little kid or some joyful, ignorant soul that came by and tripped on his nerves without realizing it. But these individuals were always met with an unrelenting glare that could silence earthquakes, and any attempt to start a happy conversation at that point would simply run off to die.

At least, this time, he opened his eyes of his own accord. "It happened soon after you disappeared," he said. "We don't know why, but...everyone, all at once, began to get this...feeling."

"Feeling?" Sora's eyes wandered in thought, his toes wiggling up and down inside his shoes.

Leon gave the floor a look that seemed to be both bitter and agonizing at the same time.

"Like something...bad was going to happen."

There came an unavoidable moment, almost as if some dark, unnerving instinct brought them to glance at each other simultaneously.

Riku gave a contemplative stare at the metallic blue floor, his eyes squinting slightly as if he were trying to see through it, and into another kind of perception. "Could it be that it has something to do with the heartless?" he suggested.

"We can't tell whether or not they have any connection," explained Leon, "but Mickey decided that we ought to at least take it seriously."

"It's dogged me all the way out here, too," said Mickey. "And come to think of it, I think it's still there."

A moment of eerie silence presented itself on all three ends as everyone contemplated the meaning of such a dark premonition. Cid gnawed on his toothpick nervously; the rugged man was no stranger to instinctual warnings, and he certainly did not take them very lightly. Leon obviously felt the same, the twisting feeling in his gut reviving old memories that he'd rather not relive.

In an attempt to break the silence he had created, Mickey cleared his throat. "So," he began, "what happened out there, anyway?"

"Uhhh...a lot," said Riku, unsure of how to explain their bizarre turn of events.

"Well, for one thing," said Sora, "this giant portal opened up out of nowhere and sucked us in. It was nothing like a dark corridor, though; it was way more...psychotic."

"Really?" said an intrigued Mickey.

"What was on the other side?" asked Leon, all business.

"Ummm..." Sora scratched his head in thought. "Well...a lot. Heheh..."

"Let's see..." Goofy began counting off on his fingers. "There were aliens, solar powered ships, treasure..."

"And pirates!" exclaimed Donald. "Will Turner was right! Never trust a pirate!"

"Whoa, it sure sounds like a lot," laughed Mickey.

"Ahyuck! Yeah, and before we went in, lots'a meteor things almost crashed inta' us, and Skyra did a good job tryin' to get us out." Goofy scratched his head slowly in thought. "Guess the ship still got pretty banged up, though..."

"'Banged up'?" Cid readjusted himself in his chair. "How banged up?"

It was then that they all glanced up at the knife protruding from a sizzling hole in the ceiling, and before they could pull their eyes away, Cid caught it, too. The man's toothpick hung dumbly from his mouth, and it actually took him a moment before he was able to speak.

"You stabbed my ship?" he cried.

"Your ship?" Riku glanced at Mickey.

He shrugged. "Well, I didn't make it."

Cis drilled his blazing eyes into Skyra. "You STABBED my ship?" he screeched again, his voice incredulous and strangled.

"What could I do, Cid? You programmed it to shout _warnin_gin my ear without termination."

"Don't try an' give me that pretty little look, missy! It don't matter who you are; you dun crossed the line when you mess with one o' my beauties!"

"Alright, alright, calm down, Cid." King Mickey waved his hands about to silence the enraged engineer, although the man's right eye continued to twitch spastically. "About how long d'ya think it'll take to get back to Radiant Garden in that condition?"

Skyra strode purposefully up to the command console, and with a few flicks of the touch screen began calculating their fastest possible route.

"The engines are still functional, mostly, but at the very least we should make it back sometime...eh, late tomorrow."

"Alright!" Mickey clapped his hands once. "You guys head back to the Garden ASAP. I want to talk to you about some things, and also get the full story for Jimminy's journal. Cid, Leon; you get ready to receive them and provide repairs. I'll meet you all soon, alright?"

"Yes, your Majesty!" saluted Sora, Donald, and Goofy in unison.

Mickey was about to terminate the transmission when he paused, fingers hovering over a small button. He looked up at them again. "And guys..." he gave a smile that seemed to say many things, "...it's good to have you back."

* * *

Riku awoke with a scream.

He flailed his arms and legs, wresting them violently from the grasp of the imaginary claws that bound them. In his fright, he shot up, almost sitting but not quite, staring in such horror at the sheets between his trembling legs. What he'd been dreaming of, he couldn't remember, just that it had ended in a flash of light.

_Not again..._

The night terrors always left him like this. Disoriented, afraid. So, so afraid. There were things in the corners of his vision, hiding in the walls. Maybe Shadows. Sometimes he could see their eyes, their cold, souless eyes. He didn't want to look at them, so he scrunged his eyes tight and clutched his head in both hands, trying to calm down. But he was shaking uncontrollably, and his breath kept coming in bursts, and his heart continued to panic. Nothing slowing down, nothing stopping.

And the voices followed him there, too, jumbled, so loud...

(Everything, it's all your fault, it's all your fault, everything is all your fault...)

The phantom memories played in his head, some real and some not, the sequence not making sense. The voice didn't say what "it" was, just that "it" was everything. And everything was enough.

**(Kairi's face when you hurt her)**

No!

He looked down at his arm. Was he imagining it, or were there really tendrils of darkness lacing themselves around his wrist?

**(The jealousy you feel because she chose _him_)**

...N-no. He shook his head. He'd gotten rid of that, hadn't he?

**(The heartless, their hunger, their razor sharp claws. Their glowing yellow eyes, their oily black faces, how they used to be alive. They used to be people)**

Riku felt so helpless, so scared, and he hated it. He shivered, freezing from the sweat that coated every inch of him. So he grabbed the covers, having to reach all the way to the opposite corner to toss them on the otherwise naked bed. He curled up into his shaking, pathetic little ball, praying, pleading.

_Shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up..._

**(And you could do it again. It would be as simple as last time; it would be so _easy_... Just do it. Let it happen, Riku...**)

His world was spinning, flashes were blinding him, serving to disorient him further. An odd ringing noise filled his ears, screaming at him insistently.

**(Open the door, Riku... Do it...)**

The voice only seemed to gain power as he lost some of his own. No longer a conspiring whisper, but a demanding force, urging him down that same path... The one used to walk not more than a year ago.

**(DO IT!)** it screamed.

Riku couldn't even summon the will to say "no" this time, only managing a weak gasp. He wanted it to leave, trying, failing to visualize peace. But now the sweat was hot and sticky, and he had no idea how long he stayed like that, panting, sobbing, so broken, a cycle that never ended. He felt exhausted from the sudden strain, trapped within his own chaotic mind but too sick and terrified to move.

Finally, something moved near his head, causing him to open his eyes and look at it. It was small, reptilian. Not a heartless.

A cupped hand slid out from under the covers by his face, welcoming the creature in. It curled up in his palm, and Riku could not remember what it was, just that it was friendly, that it was Light. It's scales were cold like steel, at first, but then it's touch melted into a pulsing body heat, and Riku hugged it close to his heart. Several long minutes went by, the little creature humming strange, foreign, soothing notes in the darkness. Slowly, Riku's muscles stopped shivering and relaxed, and soon enough, his heavy breathing became even as well. His hammering heart slowly, steadily lost momentum. The bursts of air got lighter, until they were barely audible, and then his chest heaved one last, deep breath before the room fell silent once again.

Absolute silence.

Ardeo lifted his head, observing Riku's face. How astonishing the differences were. Ardeo noticed how quietly the air flowed from his nostrils, how the boy looked so much at peace.

Satisfied, the diminutive dragon curled up, wheezing a little sigh of his own before dozing off in the palm of Riku's hand.

* * *

Riku is sad.

Ardeo knows. The others might not see it, but Ardeo does.

Ardeo thinks Riku is sad because Kairi kissed Sora. He tries to hide it, but Ardeo sees it in his eyes, in his bittersweet smile.

And Riku is _jealous_. Yes, very jealous. Ardeo thinks a part of him hates Sora, even if that peice is small. The Keyblade chose Sora, instead of him. Sora became the hero, instead of him. And Sora grew into a warrior of the Light, and he a slave to the Darkness. He wants to scream that it's unfair, but he knows why it happened that way. He knows it is because he was weak.

And now Riku suffers.

He wants to throw the pain away, but it won't leave. He does not know what to do with it. Ardeo knows he wants to run away, but he doesn't want to leave. Riku knows he shouldn't run from his friends like he did before. He knows now, how much it would hurt them. He doesn't want to be selfish.

Either way, Ardeo knows, will be hurt. So Riku stays. But Riku is still sad, and he doesn't cry.

Why won't he cry? Ardeo wonders this.

Ardeo thinks that maybe it is in his nature. Riku hides things. Riku lies. Just the small ones, though. The ones about himself. His feelings. He can't help it. He knows that just one of Sora's promises is with more than one hundred of his, and because of this, he holds Sora in the highest esteem. But Ardeo has discovered something about Riku.

His eyes can't lie.

Riku makes sure to hide those, too. His bangs are good for it.

So Riku lives amongst his friends, the pain festering inside him, his tears never falling. So Ardeo will cry some of Riku's tears for him. Every day, his load will be lightened a little bit.

Yes, this is what Ardeo will do, like he has done with Skyra, who's pain was so immense that it has taken Ardeo many years to chip away at it. Yes, this is Ardeo's power, Ardeo's talent. Ardeo hopes it will be enough. He wants to comfort Riku, so that his own pain won't drown him.

Because Ardeo loves Riku. Riku is a good friend, and scratches Ardeo's ears very nicely.

Good night, Riku.

* * *

Riku became conscious to an odd sense of contentment. For a moment he reveled in it, letting the sensation embrace him like a warm, fuzzy blanket. It was so nice, so tranquil... Rarely was his mind ever so much at ease. He readjusted his head in the fabric of the white bed sheets, not even bothering to open his eyes, happy just to lay there in total ignorance of the waking world.

Like all good things, however, this was simply not meant to last. At least the wake up call was gentle, coming in the form of bright rays of sunlight leaking through the shades in his bedroom window. Riku groaned softly in annoyance, shifting his upper body while pulling the covers up to shield his face. In his movement, however, he had forgotten that Ardeo was still dozing somewhere between his hand and his chest. A throaty grumble announced the dragon's displeasure at being disturbed, and Riku craned his head to look down at the creature.

So it did happen... Riku's face cringed in recollection, and he couldn't help the electrified pulse that shot down his spine.

When the night terrors struck, they were obscenely real, always playing havoc with his senses, but in the morning, it was like trying to recall a dream. Unfortunately, the memory had just come back full circle, and the dark feelings that came with it dropped a strange kind of weight on his heart, though it was a bit lighter than the thought it should have been.

Riku brought a hand up to massage the sleepiness out of his face, a long yawn escaping from his throat as he threw the covers off his legs. Ardeo's head lolled limply as the boy sprung out of bed, the disturbance causing the dragon to curl up again, releasing another little sigh through his nose. Riku chuckled at the slothful reptile, but then turned his attention to the shower of warm light entering through the slanted blinds.

Sunlight? In space? _We couldn't be there already..._

Yet the light was there anyway. Curious, Riku walked over to the window, observing the brilliant stripes that lit up his hand before pulling the cord to lift up the shades.

On the other side of the window was a sparkling landscape of sprawling jade fields, valleys, and a winding river. The happy white of the sun peeked out from behind faded purple mountains, turning a few wispy clouds into blurs of soft pink and orange fire. Riku took in the panoramic view in total amazement, leaning into the window, letting the glass cool his fingers, and wondering which world they could possibly be on.

As his forehead pressed up against it, however, he noticed something odd. Pixels. The scene was expertly crafted, but upon close examination, Riku could just barely make out the tiny lights of green, blue, and red.

An illusion? Riku watched as a hawk soared across the sky on lofty brown wings before suddenly diving to the ground to capture an unsuspecting digital rabbit.

This is bizarre.

On the curved window frame to his right, Riku noticed a glowing button inset within a small dial. Upon turning the dial to face it's various tick marks, the display in the window changed from valleys to a volcanic mountain, to a dim, dense forest in the early morning hours.

"So you're telling me that the kitchen doesn't work, but we still have fake windows?" he mumbled to himself. He gave the button within the dial a considering look, then reached over and pressed it.

The forest blipped and then vanished, and in its place, a blast of searing hot light burst into view. It was then that Riku realized what was truly on the other side, and where they were.

The gummiship was flying right past a star!

The whole room was engulfed in an unrelenting blue-white blaze, as if it were caught in the glare of an undying lightning bolt. Riku flinched away as the painful light invaded his eyes, jamming that evil button so that the digital landscape overtook the view once again. He stood with he back pressed against the wall for protection, vaguely wondering which world that might have been.

"I thought Namine said I was supposed to be able to see through the brightest light..." he muttered. "Sheesh." With that kind of radiance, he had probably burned a hole in his ocular nerves.

A dark patch blotted out most of his vision. He waited several moments before removing his hand, the sparks settling down at long last. Shaking off what little remained of his drowsiness, Riku set out to indulge in a simple pleasure that he had been denied for so long...

...taking a shower.

The steaming water was absolutely heavenly, running across his skin and soothing his cramped muscles, none of which had seen fresh water for weeks. Riku was finally able to scrub his face, to clean his hair of sweat, dirt, and that slightly concerning stain of blood (which he had probably received when he was knocked out by that pirate). He took a good twenty minutes to just soak blissfully, letting the stream of water gently pound his thoughts numb and carry them away, until the excessive heat began to make him dizzy, and he turned the shower off.

After drying himself, wringing out his hair, and beginning the rather time consuming dilemma of brushing the tangled mess, Riku was seriously thinking about cutting it. No other boy he knew had ever needed to do anything more than comb their hair every now and then, but at the same time he felt a little attached to the way it was now. Perhaps a ponytail could offer a solution, he thought. Yeah, he could probably rock a ponytail.

Setting his considerations aside, Riku took his clothes out of that amazing washer/dryer he had found attached to the wall and put them on. He swung open the door, relishing the cool rush of air that greeted him as he strode out of the bathroom.

Because the Cygnus gummiship was really much too big, no one generally left to explore its expansive maze of rooms by themselves. Mostly everyone just hung out in the comfy lounge room, which connected each of their individual bedrooms together, and only left in groups to find things to do. Group mentality was probably the best way to go; wandering around such a huge vessel could get lonely, and no one wanted to end up lost and all by themselves. There were maps posted every now and then in well placed hallway intersections, but even those were multidimensional and complex. Best to take it slow and easy. A pool, an arcade room, and a training room were all they needed for now.

As Riku made his way down the hallway, he came across a T-junction, and recalled that he was supposed to make a right to get back to the lounge area. Before he turned, however, he noticed Sora coming out of another restroom. The door swung shut behind him, and he went the other direction without noticing Riku's prescence. Although Sora still wore his dark black shorts, the light was sufficient enough for Riku to make out the two wet handprints on the boy's posterior.

Riku held back a snicker, ducking behind the corner to watch as Sora kept walking, completely unsuspecting. The Keyblade Master and his moist behind turned out of sight, and Riku came out of hiding and let out a soft laugh. Leave it to Sora to not even bother wiping his hands on a paper towel.

When Riku arrived, towel over shoulder in the lounge room, Sora no longer looked so happy. In fact, he seemed rather glum as he sat next to Kairi on one of the futons, his eyes numbly scanning the text of a very thick book. Kairi regarded Riku with a warm smile.

"Hey Riku. Have a nice shower?"

"Yeah..." he said, dropping the towel onto a small couch. The stark contrast between the two made him narrow his eyes as he tried to discern the meaning of such a scene. "What's going on here?"

Sora lifted his eyes like a broken hearted puppy. "They're sending us homework now."

"The school year just started," supplied Kairi. "King Mickey thought it would be bad if we missed out on another year, so he made arrangements with our parents to have the teachers send us all our lessons."

Riku's eyebrows pulled together.

"Oh."

"It's horrible, Riku!" Sora's head plopped down onto the algebra textbook. "It's not fair. I don't wanna do school work..."

Kairi and Riku both chuckled at his misery. "Alright," said Riku. "We'll get to the homework, after we eat breakfast."

* * *

Breakfast was somewhat of a fiasco, the kitchen being broken and all. Luckily, Kairi had inherited her mother's recipe for raspberry pancakes, so with everyone's help, the job got done.

In reality, it was not the kitchen itself that was broken, but the dining room, where the food would be served via a slot in the wall. The door that lead into the dining room area was now sealed off with a thick, multilayered steel door with a big "WARNING" printed upon it in yellow letters. A panel on the wall near the door reported that an object had pierced the external shell, and the current gas and pressure levels would not sustain life. A quick search revealed that the kitchen, which fed into the dining room, was right next door, and it was therefore very fortunate the meteoroid had not hit a few yards to the right, or their entire supply of food would have been jettisoned onto space.

Kairi stood there happily, a tall, white chef's hat perched upon her crown as she flipped pink speckled flapjacks over the stove and tossed out orders to her assistants (namely Sora). Riku marveled at the small changes that were already taking place in their relationship. Sora, although not quite doting on her, was subconsciously and blissfully unaware of how he was absolutely willing to do anything she asked. This effect seemed to be lost on Kairi, despite her insightfulness, and so the two continued with their happy conversation, as she watched the pancakes and as he mixed and stirred the batter to the best of his ability.

Donald noticed this as well, and he chuckled in that odd, quacking way of his as he stood next to Riku.

When they were done, Skyra, Goofy, and Donald helped carry the finished pancakes to the lounge room on several large platters, while Riku found the silverware. And then, with all the preparations complete, everyone gathered in the lounge room, and together they enjoyed Kairi's raspberry pancakes.

* * *

Homework, as promised, was carried out immediately after breakfast.

Even with a full stomach, Sora behaved like a child who is faced with a dentist appointment for cavities, and while Kairi was forced to drag him by the hand, Riku just followed along resignedly. Once again wearing his bored, zero-attention span face, Sora then proceeded to display his usual lack of comprehension in every subject. Not only did he not know how to properly use commas and other forms of punctuation, in math, Sora had issues grasping the subject, frequently zoned out while staring at the pages, and forgot any learned formula instantly. Riku, on the other hand, actually excelled in Precalculus, and since Kairi was now in his grade level, the two were able to help each other with anything the other did not understand.

While Sora, Riku, and Kairi were hitting the books, Skyra had decided to take her leave, and when asked where she was going, responded that she had some "homework" of her own to do- in the training room. Donald found a book that was written to help mages maximize their concentration while casting spells. Climbing into his favorite hammock, which Mickey had installed for him, Donald cuddled up and read quietly for the whole time period. Goofy, seeing there was nothing else for him to do at the moment, decided to accompany Skyra.

"Wait," said Sora a while later, "So, you're basically adding up all the numbers in a sequence with infinite numbers?"

Kairi nodded.

And Riku could swear Sora's brain exploded.

The brunette's eyes widened in horror. His mouth hung slightly agape, trying to form some kind of sentence, until finally he managed, "But...wouldn't that take forever? Why would you do such a thing?"

"We'll said Riku, "there's a formula that tells us how to do it."

"Let me guess: the answer is an imaginary number."

One of Riku's eyes squinted. "Uhhh, no..."

"Oh," said Sora. "Well, anyway, Tidus told me that whatever you do, never, EVER divide by zero."

Kairi looked at Riku, who rolled his eyes like he had heard this many times already. "Go ahead and ask why."

Kairi looked at Sora, who took it as a question.

"Because," he stated a matter-of -factly, "if you divide by zero, a huge vortex will open up and devour the universe."

And Sora said it with a straight face.

At first it seemed as thought Kairi wasn't going to react, but then a tiny burst of a giggle erupted in her throat, and before long, it snowballed into a full-fledged fit of laughter and she fell back into the cushions. Sora watched in bewilderment. "It's true!" he said indignantly.

"Sora, why would you believe something like that?" asked Kairi, when she had finally inhaled enough air to speak. "Look. Nothing happens when you divide by zero."

She plucked her calculator up from the table, then typed: 2, /, 0.

Her finger hovered over the ENTER button. Riku watched as Sora completely panicked, screaming, "No, Kairi, don't do it!" before launching himself at her, causing them to tumble to the ground. A flurry of flailing limbs ensued as Sora attempted to smack the small device out of her hands. Donald turned in his hammock, giving an irritated growl in what was probably an huge exercise in restraint.

"C' mon, guys," sighed Riku. "We still have plenty left to do."

Although Riku thought the homework was pretty bothersome, he found that he didn't really mind it all that badly. It was just that they were sitting there, together, doing something so normal... It was like they weren't out potentially risking their lives everyday, like all the pressures, all their fears, could be temporarily forgotten in a good quadratic equation. It felt kind of nice... Even Sora eventually stopped whining, although his performance did not increase very much.

* * *

After the one-and-a-half hour study hall, the three Keyblade wielders found themselves both physically and mentally strained. Hey, they figured, their time spent working aboard the Legacy had been no vacation, and the weight of a schoolwork load was going to drive them insane if they didn't go have some fun. So, when Skyra returned with Goofy, they all geared up to go swimming at the pool, but not before Kairi forgot to grab something.

"Be right back," she told the others before stepping back inside. Unfortunately, Riku was still in there. The door closed and suddenly the two were alone. Just them. Riku and Kairi. All by themselves.

Her eyes fell to the floor and Riku did the same, an awkward silence befalling the room. The incidents from yesterday flashed to the forefront of their minds, neither of them sure how to address it. Kairi suddenly averted her gaze and walked off to the side, digging through some things in a bag.

Riku hid his eyes uncomfortably, hoping that she would say something first. But no; she was either ignoring him or avoiding the conversation altogether, and that alone was discouraging enough to make him want to just leave the room right now. It would be much easier... Maybe now wasn't the best time, anyway.

He took a subconscious step towards the door, but then something made him hesitate.

_You should say something to her..._

Yes, he knew he should. But there was a certain something keeping him at odds with himself, a fear that had been nagging him every since they had come back...

And he now realized what that fear was.

... He was afraid that she might hate him.

With a quick breath, he made up his mind. Now, apologizing was in no way on Riku's top ten list of favorite things to do, but his jaw clenched slightly in preparation to swallow his pride anyway. Pride, he recalled, tasted rather rather bitter on it's way down and left a lump in his throat. When he found his voice at last, he spoke.

"Kairi..." it came out much quieter than he'd intended, but she seemed to have heard. "... It's about yesterday..."

Kairi's eyes flicked back up, piercing the gaps between his bangs and making him feel strangely exposed. Well, he had already started the sentence, no turning back now.

"When I said that...I didn't mean it to sound like..." Now his eyes could only meet the floor. He released a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. "... I'm sorry."

Riku waited for whatever response she might give, but after a few long seconds, all he heard was a slight rustle of movement. Looking up, it seemed that Kairi had taken a step closer. That, and, in her eyes, she looked a little...happier?

Kairi smiled a little and cocked her head in consideration. "It's alright... I'm fine now," she reassured softly. "Besides," she conceded with a sigh, "I do need more practice with my keyblade. You were right."

"But that doesn't mean I had to say it like that," Riku snapped bitterly.

Kairi watched Riku closely. By now it seemed his guilt had been dogging him for a while, and he was already seeking forms of self-punishment. Kairi understood how he worked. Quarrels in a friendship like theirs were very rare, but were considered serious. But, he had had the right intentions, she thought, just used the wrong words. He shouldn't be allowed to beat himself up over it.

Riku's bright aquatic eyes expanded in surprise when Kairi suddenly attached her much smaller body to his. He looked down to see her head on his chest. "I'm sorry, too," she spoke softly, before he could respond to the gesture. "Even though I knew it would worry you guys... I just...wanted us to stay the same, together. So don't feel bad. I'll train, whatever you want, Riku, okay?"

His body temperature seemed to rise, making him feel hot in such a close embrace. Her head was so close to his heart, which was beginning to beat faster. Wasn't she aware of how she was affecting him? He wondered if she really ever knew...

No matter; it couldn't happen now, anyway. Pushing the thought away, he draped his arms over her, a feeling of relief bringing flat smile to his lips. She didn't hate him, at least not anymore. That was good; he could handle that.

The two stood like that for a while more, neither in too much of a hurry to leave. Letting go was a little torturous for Riku, but the feeling soon dissipated as Kairi grabbed his hand and lead him out, and they left to meet the others at the swimming pool.

* * *

It was sometime later in the day when Sora, Riku, and Kairi found themselves in a brand new room. Actually, they had not come all at once, but instead had wandered in one by one, with a few minutes between each of them. First was Sora. Then Kairi, and after her came Riku. They each walked in to discover a sight so breathtaking, they were too enchanted to take their eyes away.

It was a planetarium of sorts. The room was spherical and as large as a small warehouse. A wide, stylish catwalk ran from one side to the other, a few yards above a lower floor. The catwalk curved into a wide platform at its centermost point, and there, glowing mysteriously in the darkness, was an interstellar model of all known worlds. For a while, the three did nothing but gaze as the brilliant constellation rotated gracefully, their dark silhouettes casting long shadows on the walls. To think that they were merely a tiny speck in all of that...

It was a humbling thought, but the real light show began when, at the press of a button, half of the entire wall opened up like an enormous curved gate.

And on the other side...was everything.

All that ever was, all that existed. Everywhere people lived and died, and breathed, passing right by their window in clusters of blue and amber and violet! The happiness in each individual's heart fed into the heart of each world, and that in turn created the light that now burned itself into their eyes. Worlds both familiar and unknown twinkled in beautiful resonance outside the observatory window, stealing the attention of everyone who looked with its alluring light.

"This is the sky we all share..." said Riku.

Sora glanced at him briefly before turning his eyes back to the stars. "Yeah."

"It's so beautiful... I never got to see it like this before..." said Kairi. Her eyes were aglitter as she moved, trancelike, to sit on the edge of the smooth catwalk. Like clockwork, Riku and Sora shifted to find their positions, Sora next to Kairi, and Riku next to Sora. Just like how they used to sit on the poupou tree. For a while, the stars held them in a nearly hypnotized state, but after a certain period the three began to talk of happy things. Funny memories, jokes; Sora told a few stories about some of the coolest things he had seen in his travels, like how he flew on a magic carpet, fought a dragon, and even met Santa Clause. Riku made fun of him for that one.

They laughed and did silly things that friends do for no reason whatsoever. It made it easier to forget the world, forget everything, just for a bit. At one point Sora pulled them into a forced sort of hug, where Riku and Kairi's heads met on Sora's chest, and they all laughed.

Ignore reality, Riku realized, was the key to total bliss. When there were no natural rules to hold you back, and you could live in a dream as long as you wanted. He instantly knew that it was also a dangerous thing to do, but theirs would only last a rare moment.

Their moment. They could share that, too.

They all closed their eyes, and savored it.

* * *

Standing unnoticed in the doorway to the stargazing room, Skyra observed both the trio of friends and the nebulous view with passive interest. She had come here because she lacked anything else to do, but once there, had decided against intruding upon the moment. Ardeo made soft sighs from her shoulder, completely entranced by the vivid colors of passing worlds. He let out an excited little cry before leaping off and flapping towards Sora, Riku, and Kairi, but Skyra easily plucked him out of the air before he made it so much as a foot. The dragon let out a confused warble, craning his neck up to give Skyra a questioning glance.

"This is their time to be together," she told Ardeo. "Let them be for a while."

So the iridescent dragon watched from within the grasp of his companion's hand, not making any more sounds. Skyra turned to regard another observer who stood a few paces to her right, also engrossed in the scene through an expansive window that ran a ways down the hall. "Enjoying the view as well, I see," she commented.

"Yeah." Roxas smiled, continuing to watch through the reinforced glass. "They remind me of some friends of mine."

Skyra hummed a little, turning her gaze back and saying no more.

* * *

**~~K~~**

Ahhhh... I love peaceful moments. But you know what they say: they always comes right before the storm! Muhahahahaha!

Acknowledgements: Sora's reaction to his first kiss in the last chapter was very similar to what happened in a fanfic called "As If We'd Just Gone to Buy Milk", and although I had no intention to copy it, it came to mind and frankly it just seemed appropriate. Also, during Riku's night terror, that voice that said "DO IT!" reminded me of chapter 10 in a fanfic called Broken Shield. Again, no copywrite intended, and I'm sure lots of other people wrote that same phrase before, too. All credit to those guys!

And now back to me!

What? I lost reviewers? Did I do something wrong? Huh, maybe the SoKai scared them off... And now I got to deal with all these feelings going around without making it too cheesy or boring. I mean, Riku was just reminded that the girl he always wanted is off limits, AND he feels guilty at the same time! Ugh...whatever. Any tips on this matter would be greatly appreciated.

Very important note: I have been rereading (for the third time) a very amazing KH fanfic called The Darker Side of Light. Seriously, guys, I NEVER re-read anything, much less for my third time. This fanfic is very well penned down, and the author has such an engaging style! Not only that, but it features a unique combination of Squall and Axel/ Lea (no yaoi!). So please, while you're waiting for my next chapter, read this fic. Trust me, it deserves your attention.

**(put w w w.f a n f i c t i o n in front of it, since fanfiction wants to be silly and eat one of its own links)**

.net/s/5895814/1/The_Darker_Side_of_Light

Okay! Next chapter, we get back together with Leon and the others, and we get a little more action going! See you then!


	18. Those Who Hurt

**Well hey all you wonderful readers! Welcome baaaaaaaaaaaack! :)**

**First off, I am relieved that most of you thought my last chapter was awesome, because I was starting to think that it was a little too overemotional. It probably was, too; I guess I can get so focused over one emotion that it gets too intense. But hey, it was my first angsty chapter, so I'm entitled to a little slack. I might even go back and edit it later. Maybe.**

**Don't worry, Riku! I will endeavor from here on in to preserve your masculinity! :D**

**Me: (looks at computer screen) Huh, he looks depressed all of the sudden... Strange...**

**Axel: (rolls eyes)****Well, I wonder why.**

**Anyways, a big thanks to Crystal4458, Cheyenne (twice), DaniPotterLovesGod, HawkRider, and our newest reviewer, AliceAngelicus. You posed some observations on Riku's character that I found interesting, Alice. Feel free to comment about your concerns, guys! I'm always checking for reviews. Always...O.O**

**Jeez, writer's block is like fighting against Sephiroth on steroids. Auuugghhh! X(**

**Lol, anyway. Enjoy.**

* * *

Chapter 18: Those Who Hurt**  
**

The pungent scent of coffee swirled about in Merlin's house, almost dense enough in itself to cause a caffeine spike through sheer osmosis. Sheets of dust and cobwebs still hid in the corners and hard to reach places, giving the place a half-clean sort of feel. Everyone knew this could easily be fixed with a simple cleaning spell from Merlin, but for one reason or another, the old man never got around to it. Aerith was probably out getting the groceries or waiting at the post office. Tifa went out and never came back, which left Leon alone. With everyone else.

The steady beat of fists smacking leather pounded from a punching bag in the corner, where the Great Ninja Yuffie was practically whacking the poor leather sac of its chain. The thing looked worn and beaten, with strips of padding protruding from holes in the tough fabric.

Leon didn't know how the girl always kept so energetic, even during such dismal times as these. First the city is declared in a constant state of alert, which in turn lead to longer nights on patrol and all the anxiety that came with that, then the Keyblade wielders fall right off the face of the galaxy. At least the latter had been remedied and they were on their way, which lead to the next problem.

Leon glanced at his wristwatch. "Cid. How much longer until they get here?" he inquired restlessly.

The blonde engineer flicked his nose, clearly irked. "Just hold on to that gunblade of yours, will ya? They're coming when they're coming!"

"The field barrier fires up in less than two hours. You know it's unsafe if they try and teleport through that."

"I made the darned thing, Leon, of course I know that," growled Cid. "Look, if you can't stand waiting, go take a hike or something. I got stuff to do for heaven's sakes!"

Yuffie released a flurry of lightning-fast punches, bouncing on the balls of her feet as the moderate workout began to build up a good sweat. Merlin, who was peering through his glasses at a magical scroll, said, "Could you please keep the racket down, dear? It's making it quite hard to concentrate..."

"Sorry, pops," she responded. "I'm on a roll!"

"Hey," called Cid, "I don't want you doing any of that magic mumbo-jumbo in here, Merlin! I'm multitasking!"

"You like to forget this is my house, don't you, Cid," hummed the wizard.

Cid growled, focusing his attention back to the massive computer screen. "Calibrate weapons systems with my right hand... Run security measures with my left..." he mumbled. "Then I'll take a potato chip...and eat it."

Leon massaged the bridge of his nose, sighing in exasperation as Cid chomped down on his potato chip. "Fine, you know what? I'll just take the evening shift," he announced, picking up his weapon from where it lay standing up against the table. He wasn't usually this irritable, but what could he say? The compilation of annoying things was going to choke him if he stayed in this room any longer. He needed some fresh air; maybe even clear his head with some exercises if there was nothing else to be done.

Leon's boots pounded softly on the creaking floorboards as he made a beeline for the door, Cid's voice calling after him. "Get me some more coffee while you're at it, eh? You know how I like it."

"Black, just like your heart, old man," he answered slyly.

Cid whipped around in his chair, eyes blazing. "Hey, who do you think you're callin' old-"

_Slam!_

...

Leon cracked a small smile as he went on his way. _You know what they say about payback, Cid_, he thought to himself. "It's like a chocobo on bath day."

Most of Leon's patrol was rather uneventful. He passed by a few residents; some adults chatting amiably, a woman closing up shop for the day, a little band of children running by with their dog. Sometimes they greeted him, always saying "thank you so much for all the work you're doing," and the like. Leon's default response was usually just a nod or a, "sure thing," but sometimes he would ask how someone they knew was doing. Not that he was usually very inquisitive about their personal lives, but he knew most by name and figured he might as well try and converse like a more normal person would.

The Leon most people knew was probably still more jaded than that. Lone wolfish. Introverted. Untrusting. But at some point he had noticed an important change in himself, and when he thought about it, that change had probably originated from when he'd first met Sora. Despite his reserves, he had actually had to place his faith in someone else- and in a child, no less. Perhaps that was when he had accepted that some people are worth getting to know after all.

But, like he usually said, whatever.

Leon stalked along his usual path towards the new section of town, a developing area created to house more people comfortably. Residents could choose to live there is they wished, but mostly it just helped to get people out of homes that were crammed with multiple families. No one said rebuilding this world would be easy, but at least they were making progress.

Just as Leon had hoped, the fresh air did good for his nerves. For the first time in a while, he almost felt relaxed. But then he figured anyone would after being stuck in that stifling room, where the enticing stench of coffee was constantly attacking their noses. As he came across a section of the city wall, however, a powerful feeling of dread dropped into his gut.

The heavy stone blocks were cast in deep shadow, small rifts creeping down them like spiderwebs with the unrelenting wearing of time...

It was because he knew what was on the other side.

It was the same thing that kept him awake at night, and the thought of it always brought on that strange...feeling. Being anywhere near the wall always put him on edge, but he swallowed his anxiety and climbed the staircase to the ramparts anyway.

The intense rays of sunset hit him like a wave as he ascended to the top of the stone wall, the orange light casting a long, long shadow in his wake. Squinting against the fiery horizon, Leon turned, taking a step towards the other side.

And there they were.

For miles and miles away, all that was once simple rock and dirt had been obscured by a monstrous cloud of squirming shapes, colors, and glinting armor. It was just heartless, heartless, heartless. They had not surrounded the city entirely, but rather, they only stretched along this part of the wall while small pockets of them sometimes appeared in other areas. But still, the sight of them was appalling. They crawled over each other like insects, often trying to get closer to Radiant Garden, but none of them ever made it very far. Firstly, because of the electric current that ran like a fence around the wall a hundred yards out, and secondly, because of the various automatic cannons that struck down anything smart enough to fly over the fence, which didn't happen often.

But the strangest and most unnerving part was that few heartless actually perished in the electrical barrier. It was unnerving because most heartless were considered rather suicidal, but there were some, several actually, that only stood there calmly and watched. That's it. As if they didn't have a care in the world, or...or maybe they were just..._certain_.

Certain of what, Leon did not know, but he quickly dismissed the thought as being completely outlandish and told his brain to stop thinking. It was only making the invisible fist around his gut squeeze harder. He sighed inwardly, glancing up at the inactive dome above. The only part of the structure that was actually solid was the round portion that comprised the top, a metallic disk which also served as a docking bay for aircraft. Soon, when the sun went down, it would generate a semi-spherical force field that would encompass Radiant Garden, protecting it from any outside threats.

That was why Sora and the others would have to get here before then, or else they were spending the night on the roof.

Worry worry worry. That's all he ever did, and the others reminded him plenty of times. What was he to do? He just couldn't help it; there was always something to worry about with all the things he had to do. The way he figured, it was everyone else that was acting strange. It was kind of nice, but, now it puzzled him to think about. Why were all these people so happy when there was an army of heartless right outside the city? Was it because they were just out of sight from ground level, or was it something else?

The way those people thanked him... It was like they believed in him completely.

They trusted him.

The sudden thought almost knocked him over. He leaned forward onto the stone ramparts for support, as if he were suddenly too heavy to stand on his own. He experienced a chilling cold flash only to feel a subsequent burning sensation, beads of sweat forming on the back of his head.

They fully expected him to protect them.

_You knew that from the start. You've been doing it a long time, right?_, said a small voice.

But what if he failed, or was entirely incapable of success altogether? These citizens were his responsibility now. What if he had to live through this world's apocalypse all over again and their blood was once again on his hands?

_You were barely a teenager then; what could you have done? Your obligation is here and now.__  
_  
But he was so tired... He was just so sick of the responsibility, didn't they see? He was always placed in a position of authority, where people ran to when they had no idea what to do. When they needed a leader.

_Because you're good at it.__  
_  
But he didn't want that! He never asked for this job, why didn't anyone understand? For once, just once, couldn't he be left in peace? Leon was beginning to wonder if it really was worth it, with the way he only got attached to certain people. What if they...

_Stop thinking like that already. You're acting like your old self._But, what if they did... Could he even...could he even deal with something like that? The thought was too huge to imagine.

_It's just the heartless getting to your head_, said the voice sensibly. _You should be getting back now; it's almost dark.__  
_  
Taking a breath to steady himself, Leon turned away from the heartless and headed down the wall, trying his best to forget his burdensome thoughts. They lurked like bandits in the corners of his mind, fueling a bit of paranoia and causing Leon to carefully inspect any shadowy niches he came across.

* * *

Radiant Garden.

_What an unfitting name_, thought Havok to himself. He strode along the battered tiles of a somewhat hazardous rooftop, pausing when he reached the edge to squint at the setting sun. Despite the town's efforts to plow some parts of the hard land, most of the endless landscape was still composed of infertile soil and blue rock. The general lack of clouds provided the sunlight with an unobstructed path to the ground, making the twilight less pretty and more blinding. It filtered through a few taller buildings and reflected off the glass windows all around, causing them to glow like hot iron from the forge.

It wouldn't be long until the darkness of night came, and the residents of this town would tuck themselves safely into their beds, ready to sleep in peace knowing that the Radiant Garden restoration committee would safeguard them as always. Yes, the atmosphere here was much happier than before. Now that things were expanding and slowly being fixed, the people were beginning to enjoy their lives a little more. The new defense systems were a huge morale booster, too, managing to comfort them in spite of the hoards of heartless gathering on the other side each day. They could sense the same bad feeling, of course, but even that could be temporarily forgotten.

_Soon it won't even make a difference_, the dark figure thought to himself.

A hollow wind crept through the town, rustling his black hair and equally black clothing. It was like the wind before the storm, and oh, there would be a storm. Yes, his employer was going to make sure of that.

A small noise caught Havok's attention, and his dark cobalt eyes darted to the right. Over on the other rooftop...it was that little beast that always sat on Skyra's shoulder!

Havok twisted reflexively, quickly pressing his back against the brick chimney he had been standing by. A shock of black hair and one blue eye peeked out a second later.

The small dragon did not seem to have noticed him, though it did look in his direction in response to the faint noise his boots had made. Apparently not spotting anything of interest, Ardeo continued sniffing about in some flower pots nearby. A large butterfly suddenly flitted up and perched right on his nose, causing his ears to flatten and his neck to pull back in surprise. With a curious chirp and a playful growl, he snapped at the insect, which flew off in a dizzy aerial dance. The dragon gave chase happily, attempting to leap up and catch it each time he got close enough, until finally he slipped on a displaced tile and crashed onto his belly, and with a short cry rolled right off the roof.

Havok smirked at the creature's clumsiness. So they were here already... Interesting.

He kicked off from the chimney, the bright sun to his back as he strode in the other direction. As the sun sank down below the horizon in his wake, a warning siren went off throughout the city, signaling any stragglers to get back inside the wall before the barrier came down. Minutes later, the rim of the circular generator hummed and glowed from above, releasing a flash that lilt up the sky like a stream of aurora borealis. The liquid like colors swept down in a perfect arc until they reached the ground, and then flashed brilliantly once more before becoming completely invisible.

The lone figure smiled to himself. It wouldn't be long now until the chaos began.

* * *

Nightfall had begun by the time Leon walked through the door to the Radiant Garden Restoration Committee's headquarters, a.k.a: Merlin's house, but that was not what Cid liked to call it. In contrast to the cool stillness of the sleeping town, the atmosphere in the room was quite jubilant. First of all, there was some kind of reptile zipping about the room and chirping excitedly, which nearly killed Leon, and it might have for all he knew if he hadn't ducked in time. Aside from that, the six new arrivals were exchanging joyful laughs and tight hugs with both the members of the restoration committee and King Mickey alike. The King was especially exuberant at seeing his friend's again, and seemed to have no problem jumping right up into their arms for a big hug.

At the moment, Sora looked somewhat bewildered because of the way Merlin was holding out his arm, intently examining the magical gauntlet wrapped around it. Riku was chuckling at Sora while Kairi chatted with Aerith, who was serving them snacks. She smiled in surprise when Ardeo suddenly landed on her platter and stole a little fruit tart, and Skyra picked him up with one hand and pulled him away, but the dragon didn't care; he had his prize. Donald and Goofy were both seated at the table with a small plate of snacks to munch on while Tifa asked them about where they had been all this time.

Leon snickered at them, propping his Lionhart up against the wall. Sora noticed the man's presence, grateful for an excuse to take his arm back from Merlin and greet Leon.

"Hey Leon! What's up?"

Leon raised an eyebrow, looking at his left hand for an answer. "Uh...coffee?"

Sora just laughed. "Hey, we got to see the dome turn on! I can't believe how huge it is!" he said, extending his arms out to the side as far as they would reach.

Leon gave a small smile, invariably finding Sora's behavior refreshing.

"But speaking of big, Leon, you should have seen the last world we were on. Hey, Riku!" called Sora, gaining his friend's attention. "Remember when I said we'd finally found something big enough to contain all your ego?"

Riku snorted and then rolled his eyes, walking up to ruffle the boy's hair. "Yeah," he retorted, "and I found the only things large enough to contain all your awkwardness- your shoes."

"Hey!" cried Sora indignantly, but he was grinning anyways.

Leon strode past them and handed the requested cup of coffee to Cid, who took it gratefully and guzzled down a hearty gulp. Now that Cid had his caffeine, the meeting could be called into order. Everyone found a seat at the large table in the center of the room while Tifa helped Aerith pass out glasses of barley tea. When Mickey sat down in his chair, however, a unanimous wave of suppressed giggles and snorts was heard when everyone realized that they could only see the mouse's ears. Merlin quickly fixed that with a stack of thick books.

"Haha, alright everybody," chuckled Mickey. "Let's get down to business. First, let's hear about what happened to you guys way out in space."

The room was filled with a certain happy silence as everyone settled down to listen to their story.

"Uh..." hummed Sora, unsure of where to begin. "Well, I guess we'd have to start with that crazy vortex."

Sora told them about the purple wormhole's sudden appearance, explaining with great enthusiasm about their death-defying flight during the meteor storm and how Skyra took control of the gummiship until they were sucked into the abyss. He also brought to light that this was when Riku was thrown from his chair and received a concussion, and that the seatbelt for that chair was broken. Cid said that it wouldn't be a problem to fix, and so Sora continued to tell about the R.L.S. Legacy and its sinister animaloid crew. Sometimes the others would add details that they had experienced, talking about the beautiful nebulae and the massive black hole that had almost devoured them. Sora's animated story finally came to the point of arriving at Treasure Planet, Mr. Silver's betrayal and change of heart, and of course, Jim's heroic ride to save them from the planets destruction.

Everyone in the room laughed and sipped their iced tea as they listened to the incredible tale. Every now and then, King Mickey or a member of the Restoration Committee would interrupt to ask as question. Mickey found their adventure nothing short of mind blowing, while Cid was still trying to comprehend the thought of a space worthy vessel that was structurally identical to an old fashioned ship with sails.

"Wow," breathed Mickey. "It sounds like you guys had quite the adventure!"

"Yeah, though it sounds pretty farfetched, huh?" chuckled Sora.

The King's face contorted a second later in thought, like he was recalling something important. "But, tell me: did any of you see anything unusual while you were there? Maybe some sort of...object?"

"Oh, right! Well...we did find this." Sora dug into his pocket, producing the finely crafted bronze object. The three outer rings slowly circumnavigated the bumpy core and a soft, ruby glow of sorts ebbed from its surface. "It has the same mark as the one Yen Sid showed us. I think... I think it might be some kind of clue."

"Here, let me see it." Mickey Mouse took the strange copper object from Sora, studying the moving rings and the faint glow it was giving off.

Sora watched him curiously, adding, "Um, yeah. I just found that on Treasure Planet, inside of Captain Flint's hat... Heh, but you wouldn't believe what came out of it later on..."

"Your Majesty..." said someone. It was Kairi, who had been looking at Mickey ever since he'd asked if they had found anything of interest. "Your Majesty, how did you know that Sora would find that thing? We never told you about it...so what made you ask?"

Mickey examined the object very closely for a moment more, especially noting the intricate symbol inscribed on its core before setting it on the table. "A few days ago, when I was searching for information about Arcadia...I found this," he said, pulling something out of his pocket. Whatever it was, it made a slight crinkling sound, like paper. "...Or, rather, it found me."

Everyone shifted in their chairs to get a better look at what he was holding. Mickey handed the charred piece of paper to Sora, who gazed at its irregular surface before reading it aloud, Riku leaning in over his shoulder.

_"...And so I have scattered these objects, imbued with the power of the Guardians who answer only to a Divine will, to stand sentinel over the secrets of Arcadia forever. They are the separate fragments of a key, one that will show you a door but not open it. This is the best solution, for to collect these objects, one would have to not only find them, but also face what force lies within. Of course, only the worthiest of Hearts can unlock their power, so that the door may be opened only when the Balance faces its direst of days.__The path to the new worlds has closed behind me, and shall remain so for the good of all. No meddlers can interfere; I am afraid that my journey is finally over."_Mickey nodded and pointed to a minuscule bit of script at the bottom, which was written in the same slanted handwriting as the rest of it. "And look what it says here: _'-Cyrus Report # 10'_"

"Cyrus..." Sora let his voice drift. "He wrote this?"

"Not only that," added Mickey, "but it this report tells us how to get to Arcadia. It says that 'these objects are the fragments of a key, one at will show you a door but not open it'. Out of everything I've researched, this is by far the best hint."

"But, didn't it also say that there was some kind of 'force within'?" pointed out Leon.

"That's funny," commented Sora. "It sounds just like what happened to us on Treasure Planet. Time just seemed to stop all of the sudden, and then this huge Minotaur thing came out. Said he wanted to test me..."

"OF COURSE I DID!" thundered a familiar voice, though only six of them actually found it familiar. "NOT JUST ANYONE CAN BE ALLOWED SAFE PASSAGE INTO ARCADIA."

"Whoah!" exclaimed Mickey.

"What was that?" said Riku warily. Everyone else in the room also said something to that effect.

"HAHAHA! YOU MORTALS ARE REALLY VERY AMUSING! I AM RIGHT HERE, ON THE TABLE."

Sora grabbed the strange object and watched as it began to dance gracefully in his hands, the three metallic rings all spinning in different directions and speeds as the thing hovered no more than an inch from his skin. "It's you!" he said. "You can still talk to us like this?"

"YEP!" replied the object, which seemed to distort the Minotaur's voice slightly, is if through a walkie talkie. "AND MAYBE YOU WOULD HAVE NOTICED SOONER IF YOU HADN'T FORGOTTEN ME IN YOUR POCKET..." The atom like entity projected the voice at a volume much safer for human ears while its faint ruby glow pulsated with the rhythm of each spoken syllable.

Sora chuckled slightly, bewildered. "Uh, sorry...haha."

"Excuse me Mr. Guardian," Goofy began, "but do you know who Cyrus is?"

"CYRUS? OF COURSE I DO!" scoffed the floating object. "HE WAS THE ONE THAT PUT ME THERE, ALONG WITH ALL THE OTHERS. YOU WOULDN'T HAVE BELIEVED IT WHEN HE JUST GAVE ME TO CAPTAIN FLINT, TRICKING THE PSYCHO INTO BELIEVING THAT I WAS ACTUALLY VALUABLE TO HIM..." The voice grunted indignantly. "THAT GUY'S HEART WAS AS BLACK AS PITCH! COULD'NT OPEN ME IN A MILLION YEARS, NOT THAT HE DIDN'T TRY, THOUGH..."

"So, can you tell us about these other 'Guardians'?" pried Mickey.

The talking object turned so that the Arcadia symbol on one side faced the King. "SORRY, BUT NO DICE. THE WHOLE POINT OF THESE TESTS IS THAT YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE PREPARED FOR THEM! YOU EITHER PASS OR FAIL, NO EXCUSES."

"Aww mannn..." whined Sora, lowering his head to the table. "And we have to do all our school work on top of that... What if the next one is an intelligence test...?"

Seeing as Sora was having a staring contest with the hardwood table, Ardeo decided to take the opportunity to land on his head and nestle comfortably amongst the boy's brown tufts of hair.

"We'll be fine," snickered Riku, "just as long as you aren't the one answering the questions."

"And we'll be sure to keep _your_mouth shut as well," quipped Skyra.

Riku responded to that with a dirty look.

"All right," said Mickey, "It sounds like we've got a plan. You guys'll continue to search for these objects while finding as many clues as you can about Cyrus and Arcadia. Also, we should start collecting them as quickly as we can now, so try not to get stuck on a world for another month."

Sora lifted his head groggily, rather suddenly displacing an unsuspecting Ardeo from his perch and dumping him onto the table with a surprised chirp. The fluorescent dragon sat up and yawned sleepily before crawling off to Riku's arm, where he curled up and let out a chittering sort of purr as Riku stroked his back.

"So, what are you going to do, Your Majesty?" asked Sora.

A short silence pervaded the air. Into it, Mickey said, "I just...have this bad feeling still. It's making me worry about the worlds, so I think I'll just go check in on them first." The mouse sighed softly, showing for the first time that evening any sign of weariness. "I know you guys already stopped the Darkness from spreading a year ago, but for some reason...I just keep suspecting it..."

Leon looked at Cid, who looked at Yuffie, who looked at Leon. "Wonder if it's the same feeling we've been having," pondered Leon.

"Haha, well, anyway," said Mickey with a new smile. "I think it's best if we all get to bed soon. You guys will have a day or two to spend here, and it sounds like you need a little downtime after all you've been through."

"Okay..." mumbled Sora, who was obviously getting as sleepy as Ardeo.

A few cheery "goodnight's" followed them out the door as Tifa lead the group outside to an apartment like building where they would spend the night. Although it was several blocks away, Tifa made sure to tell them how to get back to Merlin's house before giving them the keys to their rooms.

"Alright you guys," she said, "sure you can get back on your own?"

"No problem!" answered Donald.

"Okay then. You can come over for breakfast in the morning, alright?"

"Okay. Goodnight, Tifa!" said Sora with a wave.

And with that, they headed inside, where Sora was quite happy to throw himself onto a bed and drift quickly to sleep.

* * *

Sora was still as a warm breeze buffeted the lawn around him, making the blades of grass ruffle and swirl happily about his ankles. His spiky chestnut hair waved in the hypnotic air current, as did the branches of the tall trees around him.

He glanced in a circle, but it was nearly impossible to make out the landscape around him. Deep shadows were abundant in many areas, and where he should have been able to see, his vision became blurred and fuzzy. He might have been in a sort of small clearing. He gazed up ahead once again. He was in a trancelike state, eyes half closed and emotionless as he observed the scene before him.

The sky glowed a soft orange, matching the light of the burning building that stood not far away. It had about two stories, maybe an attic, guessed Sora. Flames erupted from a broken window and licked at the outer wooden frame of the building hungrily. He could feel the heat on his face from where he stood, which was probably twenty-five yards away.

Sora's vacant eyes slowly became more lifelike as he realized that he'd seen this place before. He strained his mind, trying to remember why it was so familiar, but he came up empty. He tried calling for help, but his voice was lost in his throat. The only thing he could hear was the roar created by the flames.

A sudden urgency struck him. There was something important in that house, there was no mistaking it. He found himself desperately wanting to get inside and find out what. He lifted his foot to run towards the building, oblivious to the dangers of the fire, but no sooner had it hit the ground again that the world spun uncontrollably around him. Anything that had once been solid became liquid like blurs of muted color, swirling in dizzy whirlpool patterns. He stopped mid-stride and raised his hands protectively in surprise, trying not to lose his balance and fall. As the colors finally went dark, he began losing his sense of equilibrium. He swayed on the spot, then widened the gap between his legs to keep himself standing.

For a moment, his eyes met nothing but total darkness. He touched his face to make sure they were open, but no matter how hard he tried, he could not pierce the inky blackness. The heat from the fire was gone, leaving him feeling chilly and alone.

Then, he suddenly sensed light. Sora looked around once again, but it was hard to make anything out. He seemed to be in a room of some kind. His vision was not blurry like last time, but the dimness made sure his surroundings remained hidden just as effectively. He waited for his eyes to adjust, but there was no such luck for him. Crouching down, he noticed that the floor was made of cool stone.

It was old and worn; cracked with age and lack of care. Dirt and small stones crunched under his fingers where the plates of rock gave way to centuries of weathering. The entire place reflected the same ancient and worn-down condition. He breathed in the stale air, and another wave of nostalgia passed over him. This place was also familiar. Not this room in particular, but the overall sense of foreboding made him somehow feel like he'd been here before.

_Where am I...?__  
_  
Nothing came to him, no matter how ardently he tried to recall. _Maybe Roxas will know_, he thought to himself.

_Roxas?_

...Nothing.

He called again, but no response came from the Nobody. He only felt colder, more lonely and vulnerable with no one there to watch his back. He experienced an ominous feeling pressing itself upon his mind. Something was going on, but he wasn't sure exactly what. He stayed low, straining his ears for any giveaway of a threat nearby, but the deafening silence remained unbroken. Somehow, it only added to his discomfort.

Ignoring the fear, he walked cautiously forward, where a pale strand of white light broke through the dark ceiling above. As he neared it, he noticed that there was something else in front of him... Or someone.

When he looked closely, he could make out white hair gleaming beneath the dim shaft of light a few feet above him. Sora moved until he was almost directly underneath the figure.

It seemed to be human. From what little Sora could see of his build, he was probably male. What was more, he appeared to be suspended in the air by his hands and feet a little ways off the ground. Sora's head only came to about his waistline as he noticed how the figure's arms were raised above him, almost as if...

Sora's azure eyes widened when he realized that the man was being held up in chains.

His eyes followed their dark form from one ankle to the floor, where it was bolted securely to the stone. On an impulse, he reached down to the chain, trying to free the sleeping man. Just as his fingers wrapped around the cold metallic links, however, a bright purple flash stung his eyes, burning itself into his mind, and he jumped back in astonishment.

He gripped his wrist tightly in pain, staring at the malevolent shackles. They had shocked him!

He glanced up. The mysterious prisoner had not even moved. His pure white bangs hung low over his bowed head, throwing his face in shadows.

Something about this man was...different. He could feel it somehow, just by being near him.

Sora searched him, trying to understand what it was. He blinked and exerted his eyes, trying to filter through the omnipresent shadows. He reached towards one side of the figure, where he thought he could make out some kind of bulge.

What he felt did not make sense.

He backed up and nearly fell onto his backside. This was impossible. He looked up at the man with new wonder; the prisoner who remained soundless and deathly still.

Sora had felt none other than a pair of wings.

He could tell by the feel of the soft feathers that had run smoothly under his fingers. The large appendages began behind the figure's shoulder blades and hung down, just brushing the floor. They were as limp and still as the rest of the man.

What was this creature, Sora wondered. An angel? Or something else? He did not know; this all seemed so surreal.

He then felt a sudden sympathy for the man. It didn't seem right that this magnificent creature had been captured and placed in this miserable, forsaken room in who-knows-where. He tried to speak, hoping to get a response from him.

_"Wake up."__  
_  
The words died in his throat; for some reason he could not speak. He grasped his neck where his Adam's apple resided between his throat tendons and tried again.

_"Who are you?"_

Again, he was mute. Sora felt his throat vibrate with the words, but the silence was as solid as ever. His curiosity to stay clashed with a nervous desire to get away from this place. If anything, the silence was maddening. This wasn't the same thing as a peaceful stillness; it was wrong, unnatural. He gazed again at the man in chains, as if he held the answer; but he remained perfectly still, as enigmatic as before.

"You have come to listen, I see," said a new voice loud and clear.

Sora nearly jumped when he heard the sudden sound, and he stared up to see a strange man standing right next to him. He was strange, not only in that he had suddenly appeared out of nowhere, but also because his body was encased in a soft glow. Sora stood up in a hurry, but the man only shifted his gaze calmly from the prisoner to the Keyblade Wielder, and regarded him with a warm smile.

Sora instantly felt a little less unnerved, but decided that questions needed to be asked anyway. "Who are you," he said, happy that his voice finally worked, "and...what is this place?"

The man grinned again, a motion that revealed deep laugh lines and premature crow's feet in his face. He extended a hand to Sora in greeting. "My name is Cyrus," he said happily. "And you are Sora, correct?"

Sora blinked in surprise, not only because the man knew his name, but also because of _who_he was. "Wait, you're Cyrus?" he asked incredulously. "The guy we've been looking for all this time?"

"Oh...yes," said the man, lowering his hand with a bewildered look. "But, I am afraid you'll never find me. You see...I'm dead."

Sora studied the self-acclaimed dead man in confusion. Despite looking relatively young, Cyrus sported a few dark circles under his amber eyes, as well as several shocks of grey sprouting from random portions of his otherwise brown hair do. Through all the premature wrinkles, however, his eyes were alive with an indescribable light, a happiness that kept him looking youthful. Well, thought Sora, he certainly didn't look dead, aside from the fact that he didn't seem to feel the need to, well, breathe, but whatever; he was still there, right?

"But, if you're dead...then..." Sora was going to ask "how?" but Cyrus had another idea, grabbing him by his hand and dragging him away from the mysterious prisoner.

"This is all a dream," the man said quickly as a huge door on the other end of the room opened. "It's a message in the form of a dream, so like a dream, objects will interact with you normally. That is why I am here, to act as your guide so that you may watch as a passive observer, understand?"

No, he didn't understand, but Sora could only manage basic words like, "Wait," and, "What?" as his hand began to acquire the same glow as Cyrus's, and he watched as the soft light spread to the rest of his body as well. The strange man took him a little out of the way before stopping and releasing Sora's hand.

The massive doors had opened fully, and from them strode a tall, dark figure.

Sora strained his eyes to see who it was, but the darkness in the room was just too thick, and it would be a long time before he'd ever be able to adjust to this light setting. Even though Sora had no idea who the figure was, something about this whole scene put him on edge in ways he could not describe. "Exactly what kind of 'message' is this?" he queried.

Cyrus watched the approaching shadow with pressed eyebrows, appearing just as nervous as Sora. "You are here to watch a memory..." he whispered, which was more than loud enough in this silence. "A recent one."

Sora glanced curiously at the man next to him. Cyrus's head was inclined slightly, his deep, red-brown eyes looking on with an odd...knowing sort of anxiety, like he already knew what was going to happen. The man's solemn behavior offered little comfort to Sora. He turned back to watch the unfolding scene with a lingering feeling of trepidation.

The figure, tall, definitely masculine, continued walking without giving even the slightest indication he had seen them, until finally he stopped on the slightly raised platform directly in front of the winged man. Sora was now looking upon the figure from the side profile, but the man wore a hood and, despite the fact that he now stood beneath the spray of light cascading down from above, his image was dark and hazy. No effort Sora could make would allow him to see through the shifting blurs that composed the stranger, yet his silhouette was definitely somewhat familiar... But Sora had little time to debate with himself, because for the first time ever, the avian prisoner moved.

With a cringe of waking pain he groaned slightly, and after a few seconds, opened his eyes as well. As the shackled man gazed numbly upon the shadowy figure, Sora noticed that, for a second, he was able to see a flash of detail on the person's hood.

White and black... Is that what he just saw?

The cloaked man spoke something, an utterance that was oddly distorted and nearly mute, like he was talking through water. The prisoner did not seem to hear it either, and after a moment responded with a raspy, "Where am I...?"

"You need only know that I am now your superior," was all the hooded man replied with. "Concerning yourself with anything else is a fruitless endeavor."

Sora froze as the words hit his ears, the voice sending a shiver through him before he even recognized why. The man's deep baritone resonated like a hollow wind, smooth and silken, each syllable clearly enunciated, and his sentences carefully crafted with concise vocabulary. He recognized that voice...one he had only heard a small handful of times.

But as Sora's mind slowed down, the events around began to quicken. The winged man looked up and realized that he had been chained to the ceiling, and demanded to know why, and who the other man was. Seconds flicked by with strange flashes echoing weirdly in the corners of his vision, but Sora ignored the random dream effects, focusing all his attention on the hooded man. The shadowy figure chuckled slightly, and moments later, slowly removed his hood.

Sora tensed and dropped into a battle stance, Keyblade flying to hand.

It _was _Xemnas! Only seconds ago, the Nobody had been blurry and obscure, but now his image was crystal clear, and Sora was only thinking of how he should fight him...alone, this time.

But Cyrus only put a calm, steady hand on his shoulder. "This is only a memory," he said reassuringly, "They cannot see us."

Sora relaxed slightly, but kept his eyes focused on Xemnas.

While he had been freaking out over Xemnas, Sora now realized that the winged man had reacted in a very similar way, and was currently fighting the chains that bound him for all he was worth. The man's beautiful, silken wings beat the air powerfully, generating a great wind that swirled about the room and caused the bountiful dust to scatter and pick up. Xemnas did not seem to care, however, and looked content to watch the man struggle.

Seconds later, Sora learned why. In his violent fight for freedom, the winged man did not realize that neon purple veins had begun to glow on the darkly metallic links. The chains began to hum their warning, but when the man did not cease his thrashing, the same violet flash lit up the room, making Sora jump in shock. He heard a drawn out grunt as the purple light blinded him, and for a moment, he thought he was the one crying out.

In a few seconds it ended, and the prisoner had stopped resisting.

"You are welcome to try and escape, if you so wish," said Xemnas calmly, "However, you will surely find your efforts a waste of time and energy."

"You fool..." the figure snarled. He looked like he was contemplating something painfully huge, and then with a glare he lifted his head. "Don't you even know what you've done just by being alive?"

Xemnas just continued to gaze at the helpless man. "If Vexen were still here, he would have jumped at the chance to pick you apart and see how you work..." he commented thoughtfully.

The prisoner took a moment to steady his breathing before looking Xemnas right in the eye. "What is it that you want, Xemnas?" he asked finally.

"Oh?" said Xemnas with his usual, passive expression. "Wouldn't you, of all people, know precisely the answer to that question? I need you because of what you are, the power only you hold..."

Sora watched, perplexed. What he is... What did Xemnas mean by that?

"But do not despair," continued Xemnas. "You shall see, and in time, perhaps even come to agree with me."

"No one could ever agree with a twisted man like you!" spat the winged man.

"Is that how you really feel? What about your situation; how does that make you feel? Knowing that the unstoppable has begun while you remain here, trapped, and rendered incapable of deterring it? That you have been caught and are at my mercy? That you are helpless to save the ones you love and there is _nothing _you can do about it...?"

Sora stared with wide eyes as something inside the other man snapped. Again he writhed violently, and again his great wings buffeted the air, but this time with a newborn rage. It ignited in his pale eyes, fueling every thrash in his struggle to break the chains and rain his fury down on Xemnas. Sora could sense the dim figure's frustration when all he managed to do was brush a few soft feather tips against Xemnas's cloak.

"Come on...stop it," whispered Sora pleadingly. Cyrus took an uncomfortable breath, seeming to dread whatever was to come.

Just like before, the malevolent chains hummed and glowed, but the winged man was either too blinded by his own ferocity to notice, or he simply did not care. His shackles clicked and sent more electricity out to punish him, but this time it was so much worse because the man screamed. It was a horrible cry, filled with agony, amplified by the intense purple glare.

Sora cringed, bringing a hand up to his pounding skull. "Stop it..." he growled, shaking his head against the sound, but it did no good. Sora felt his other hand squeeze around the keybade's hilt, the weapon seeming to urge him on. A second passed and still the man was crying out in pain. The soul-shaking rawness of the scream was like a stab in his heart, assaulting his mind from every side until he couldn't stand it anymore. Snapping his eyes open, Sora brought up his Kingdom Key and did the only thing he felt his could do. With a flash of glinting metal, the boy leapt blindly into the light, shouting, "Stop it!"

He came to where the prisoner was suspended, meeting the evil chains with the teeth of his blade, but where they should have been slashed in two, he found no resistance. He sailed right through, keyblade and all, like a ghost. Landing on the other side of the mysterious figure, Sora could only stand helplessly, knowing that he was just beside the man but still lightyears away from helping him.

Finally it ended, and to Sora everything became a dim flicker, a shifting mass that pulsed with the beat of a panicked heart. From what little he could see, he was able to make out he winged man's sagging form, while Xemnas seemed to be circling the little platform, his voice once again distorted as if passing through water. If Sora tried, he could catch a sentence or two, but it took much longer to piece together the missing prefixes and faded vowels; it reminded him of being half asleep. Xemnas's image blinked and skipped, as if he were in a movie with gaps in the film, eventually stopping back in front of the prisoner.

The Nobody appeared to say little else, and just like a shadow he disappeared back into the darkness, the whole scene fading away in his wake.

Sora gazed down, blinking through the haze of swirling shadows and feeling more than a little stricken. The vision receded into oblivion, and Sora couldn't help but watch it go sullenly. Yeah, there was nothing he could do, but that didn't make him feel any less useless.

He squeezed his keyblade.

That monster. Sora hated how Xemnas hurt people so casually, just because he didn't have a heart to feel empathetic with! That Nobody had inflicted just as much damage on the worlds the last time they'd met, even explaining in person how he could never feel sorrow for what he'd done. The one thing he probably ever felt was desire, for Kingdom Hearts or whatever he wanted now, if indeed that could even be considered an emotion. Sora doubted that Xemnas could ever feel remorse...even with a heart.

Cyrus came up from behind him, waking Sora from his thoughts as he passed. He watched, but the man seemed to be walking right into the darkness.

"Hold it," called Sora with an outstretched hand, "What was all of that?"

Cyrus stopped, staring off into the sea of black as if he were listening to something, then finally turned back to Sora. The dark embers in his eyes seemed to regard the boy gently, and he said, "That man you saw was in trouble. It seems his heart has called out to you, sending that memory as a plea for help."

"A call for help..." Sora tried to imagine how that angelic man had even managed to do such a thing, and, more importantly; "But I don't even know where to find him."

Sora felt compelled to help the man, but if he couldn't figure out where Xemnas was keeping him, it would be virtually impossible to set up a rescue mission.

Cyrus seemed to share Sora's austerity, his eyebrows curving downward in a sober gesture. "I can only tell you that this memory is a few weeks old, not where it came from, unfortunately." He shook away some of the somberness, offering Sora a sincere smile. "Just continue on your mission," he encouraged. "If you find Xemnas before he finds you, it might be possible to locate him."

Sora sat on the information for a minute, then nodded.

"Okay. I'll do my best!"

"That's all anyone could ever ask."

Sora let out a breath, wondering if that would always be enough. He hoped so. Looking up, he saw that Cyrus had given him a little wave.

"Good night, Sora," he said. "You have much to do in the waking world."

Sora opened his mouth in question, but suddenly everything blinked out like a broken light bulb.

* * *

**A note on Leon's personality. Since KH made up a new story for how he got wrapped up into all this, I might just go along with it and pretend most of Final Fantasy VIII never happened, which means no Zell, Quistis, Selphie, etc. So for my story's sake, he became more trusting after working with Sora, not with them. That might change later on, but I'm not really going to worry about it right now.**

**One thing about that dream/memory part; obviously it's that scene you guys saw earlier, but I changed some of Xemnas's lines a little because I wanted him to speak a little more poetically. I just watched a montage of Xemnas/Ansem/ Xehanort speeches, so that helped a lot. Apparently he isn't all that tan either, so forget about that one detail I wrote in his description.**

**Oh, and Cid's potato chip line? A shameless reference to Death Note. Apparently I still have a little crazy fangirl in me...oh well.**

**Anyway, I'm sure you guys are wondering what all these dark premonitions are leading to. **

**Wellllllll... I got delayed again, so I've decided to split the original chapter 18 in half and make it chapter 19. But don't worry; I'm almost done, so I should be able to update in a week or two.**

**Oh yeah, and Happy Birthday, Sam! I love you! :D**

**Review please, even if you don't feel like it! :DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD**


	19. When Rain Falls

Okay. I said things were going to get crazy, so here it is. The reason I changed this story's rating to T. It's nothing hardcore, but...consider yourselves warned.

By the way, it may enhance the experience to listen to Twisted Streets from the Bastion soundtrack for part of this. I'll let you know with an "*" symbol. And if you want, you can even listen to Mind Heist from the Inception soundtrack when you see a second * (in HIGH volume!)

Oh, and before anything else, I just wanted to say that I got the new KH game, and it's AMAZING! I just love Neku and Joshua and all the cameo characters in the first level. They're just so amusing! Now I want to check out The World Ends With You game to see what all that was about...

Okay, enjoy!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

* * *

**Chapter 19: When Rain Falls**

The sound of terrified screaming, the charred scent of burning wood, the disorienting feeling of trying to recall where he was. All these sensations compressed themselves upon Sora the instant he awoke. There was an undeniable atmosphere, a low hum of chaos that presided over the room, seeming to oscillate from behind the very walls. An explosion of rubble erupted from someplace nearby, only adding to the intensity of Sora's confusion.

He pressed a hand to his forehead, trying to think now that his previous thoughts had been interrupted. He had just come out of that dream, he knew that much. But all this noise...what was going on out there?

A door burst open, followed by two sets of pounding footsteps. Sora looked up to see Riku and Kairi, who were just as alarmed as he was.

"Sora, get up!" commanded Riku.

Sora quickly rubbed an eye with one hand. "Guys...? What's happening?"

"We don't know," answered Kairi. "Donald and Goofy are already downstairs; we have to go, now."

Sora was already getting to his feet. Jamming his feet back into his shoes, he got ready to sprint after his friends, but the moment he took his first step, half the entire wall exploded and sent them careening through the air. Sora grunted as he hit the wall and rolled to the ground, trying to protect himself with raised hands. Smoking debris was strewn about, making effective projectiles as they flew out from where the wall used to be. Once he thought it was safe enough to peek out, Sora craned his head up- for he was now on his back- and saw that Kairi was holding her head by the far wall, and Riku's prone form was halfway covered by a slab of heavy wood.

Sora groaned, aware of an annoying ringing in his ears. Everything was upside down and dizzy looking, but he was forced to blink it all away when a score of bell shaped heartless levitated in from the hole they had created. They were Red Nocturnes and Yellow Operas, little creatures with beady gold eyes and crooked magicians hats of their respective colors. Tons of these monsters filed in, tenaciously conjuring up fireballs and thunderbolts all throughout the room.

Sora was up in an instant, having to lift up a huge chunk of wall before he could do so, while Riku began stir a few yards away. "Heartless," he grunted, "Dang..."

Sora was incredulous. "How did they get in?" he wondered aloud, whacking a crimson heartless just before it could expel another sphere of flame. It took the others a second to realize that Sora wasn't talking about the room.

Riku recovered quickly, unleashing an aerial charge that reduced four others to clouds of fading darkness. He continued the offensive, slicing through several more until there was a small cluster of crystalline hearts dissipating through the ceiling.

Kairi had managed to shake off the sudden trauma and had destroyed her fair share of game before ending up in the mouth of the gaping hole, where the floorboards dropped off into the streets below. She glanced down, then at Sora and Riku. "Guys!" she called, motioning towards the ground. "Donald and Goofy need help!"

The other two rushed toward her immediately, but just as they arrived she made a point of leaping outside ahead of them, landing like a cat on the pavement. Sora first made sure Kairi was alright, then surveyed the battle being waged below.

_Well, she certainly doesn't stay down for long, does she? _thought Riku. "C'mon, let's go," he said, jumping in after her.

"Right," affirmed Sora, following suite.

* * *

* The night was warm, almost muggy, kissed by an ominous breeze that carried the chilling sounds of fear and suffering. The glow of distant fires cast a red scar on the horizon, providing enough light to see the bits of scattered debris, but not nearly enough to chase away the inky shadows that clung to every window, alley, and doorway. Eruptions of fire and crumbling buildings pulsed like an irregular heartbeat, and along with the burning scent of charcoal was a thick, creeping smell that, somewhere deep in their minds, they knew must be blood.

As the five made their way through Radiant Garden, the absence of Skyra was quickly recognized, and they decided to head towards Merlin's house in hopes she would be there. As for driving out the heartless, however, none of them had seen such a large scale attack, so finding Leon and the others would be a good idea if they were to formulate a much needed game plan.

At first there was little in their way, and the group moved quickly under the almost tangible cover of darkness. Hurried but hushed, they crept to the end of the street, scanning every confined space for concealed heartless. Sora pressed his shoulder to the wall of the building, peeking around the corner to look at another street that was well lit with street lamps.

It was practically a road block. The entire lane was swarming with heartless, all of them searching, chasing someone, or destroying something. A couple Mega Shadows convulsed and twitched, some skittering along the ground in their two dimensional form. Some Wyverns popped in via a dark portal, probably attracted by the Keyblade or the prospect of fresh hearts.

For Sora, probably the most shocking part was the sheer variety of heartless. There were all kinds, sizes, and colors- heartless from every world tossed together like a deadly rainbow with killer claws. Sora saw Gargoyle Knights from Beast's Castle, Hover Ghosts from Halloween Town, Pot Scorpions from Agraba. There were Pink Concertos, Bubble Beats, apelike Powerwilds with eager fists, Green Requiems, Snapper Dogs, and Jumbo Cannons. The list went on and on. The mix was completed by dozen or so smoky black Shadows and Possessors, some of which were new recruits.

The group tried to avoid crowded streets, but no matter what alternative route was picked, the result was always the same. Heartless, in the skies, on the rooftops, or charging through houses. They always found them, creeping out of the shadows in waves to attack and consume their hearts.

With so many enemies of varying strengths and elements, it was a pain to fight through, and a deadly gamble to stay still for too long. The group stayed closely knit, the strongest members forging a path while at least one person guarded the rear, and anyone who was weakened would take a place in the center, where either Donald or Sora could heal them with a cure spell. It was treacherous going. The streets were pockmarked with hot craters made by fire spells, and tons of flying heartless jabbed at them from above while Large Bodies dashed any chance of an easy breakaway.

Sometimes they would come across a few civilians, either running towards them in a panic, or at the immediate mercy of a heartless. Sometimes both. Their numbers grew as the circle widened to accommodate more people, but the escorts soon proved to be as much of a liability as a priority, forcing the warriors to act at even greater lengths to protect them.

Two extra plump Large Bodies charged at them from the front, completely intent on blasting through their defenses and seeing how many people they could crush in the process. Sora leapt over them as Riku conjured up one of his only spells, Dark Shield, the former managing to eviscerate a few Hook Bats as he flew through the air. Sora's knees wobbled slightly as he landed, threatening to give out if he didn't slow down soon. He gazed up, his face burning like the rest of his overheated body.

Riku's magical barrier brought cessation to the heartless' attack, dealing back double the damage he would have taken. With their health nearly depleted and their weak points exposed to Sora, the obese Large Bodies didn't stand a chance when he sliced them from behind. They grimaced in silent pain, two beautiful hearts rising up from their remains.

A woman screamed within their group, pointing to a Guardian hovering above them, poised to attack. Floating above a sharp, rotating ring, the creature was sheathed in a plating of steel armor and looked somewhat like a disproportional hourglass. Yellow orbs gazed out from a gap in the plating, locking on to the convenient congregation of prey below.

"I'll send you up," shouted Sora, dashing ahead.

Riku nodded, and just as Sora spun on a dime with keyblade extended, Riku jumped onto the Kingdom Key, and with a grunt Sora sent him rocketing towards the Guardian.

The creature had its arms together, ready to unleash a blast of light at his face, but just as it did so Riku brought his blade down on its head, propelling himself in a vertical somersault high above the laser. A second ticked down as he went up, and then he came out of the flip, keyblade raised, and then all he had to do was fall straight down and gore the heartless right between its eyes. The Guardian bucked and tossed, spraying random shots of light all around, but it could not shake Riku off. He spun like a violent hurricane and sent it hurtling to the ground, where a few orbs of dark fire sent it to oblivion.

Sora allowed himself a quick sigh of relief before wiping a good bit of sweat from his forehead and continuing to lead the way.

The problem with escorting a person, thought Sora, was that they were placed in even greater danger by being near the Keyblade, which acts as a homing beacon to all heartless. It was a weapon of legendary power, strong enough to vanquish even the darkest of beasts. It was the only thing they feared, and although this was a secondary instinct, all heartless were mindlessly driven to seek out and destroy wielders of the Keyblade. These people were probably safer running away from them, but it couldn't be helped. Anyone who laid eyes on them flocked to their side immediately, looking with those fearful eyes for someone to guard their wives, children, friends. It was impossible to say no to that. Sora just didn't have the heart to turn them down.

And finally - finally -, after what seemed like an eternity of numbly hacking and slashing away, the group of about fifteen people came across what appeared to be a huge safe house of sorts. This assumption was mainly derivable from the squat, wide body of the structure, plus all the reinforced steel plating on the windows and doors. That aside, flocks of people seemed to be dashing towards it, so if it wasn't a safe house already, it was going to be.

Relieved to be freed from their burden, the others let their escorts run to the sanctuary, and Sora immediately sank right down on his bum, to weary to do anything but breathe. Donald, who was drained of mana and probably had the worst leg cramps out of all of them, plopped down right behind Sora, and the two sat back to back.

No more than a few minutes later Tifa ran out to meet them. The young woman was in excellent physical condition as always, with a sleeveless black top, shorts, and long raven hair to match. Her chestnut eyes reflected a mix of relief and concern that belied her grim smile. "You guys are okay, thank goodness..." she breathed.

Everyone looked up wearily as she approached. Goofy tried to straighten up his slouch a bit, though he seemed a little unsteady on his feet. "Gee, Tifa..." he panted, "Do ya know what's goin' on?"

"The heartless got through; no one knows how," she reported. "Cid and Leon went to the south side of town to try and get more people to safety, and Yuffie, Aerith, and I are holding up here."

"Have you seen Skyra anywhere?" asked Sora hopefully, pulling himself to his feet.

"No..." she answered with a shake of her head. "But do you see those roofs?" She pointed to the top of the safe house, which appeared to be coated in an ultra reflective metallic alloy. "Most of the buildings on the south side have those installed. It's supposed to protect from the system's heartless weapon that Cid created, which is set to go off very soon. So if you're going out to look for your friend, make sure to take cover in one of those. Either way, Cid and Leon could use your help."

"More running...?" breathed Sora miserably.

Roxas's voice suddenly appeared in the forefront of his consciousness. _I've been yelling at you to let me out this whole time, you moron!_, he growled.

_Huh...? Roxas?,_ Sora blinked. _Oh...sorry. I guess I just pushed you to the back of my mind or something..._

_Just get me out of here as soon as you can_, he said, almost sounding a bit anxious.

_Okay, okay_, thought Sora. _Once we head to the south side of town, you can come out._

"...sounds like a good idea..." said Kairi thoughtfully.

Sora shook his head, snapping himself back into the present conversation. "Huh...?"

"Where have you been?" admonished Riku. "We're heading over there after we pick up some supplies. Come on."

Sora watched Riku walk off and then shifted his tongue within his parched mouth. "Right."

* * *

The darkness was unnaturally dense in the abandoned house. It cloaked everything like a heavy blanket, even hiding the form of a small figure, which was creeping slowly through it. His ovalish eyes flashed, reflecting what little crimson light filtered in through the windows. The silence, resonating like a mute pulse from every corner of the room, unnerved the figure even more than the lack of illumination. In all actuality, he could see relatively well.

He was, after all, a mouse.

Yes, the moment he had stepped into this building, the sounds of panic seemed to just fade, replaced by a silence that assaulted him from every angle.

Not daring to interrupt it's reign, Mickey crept carefully around some overturned furniture, making sure his shoes did not scuffle along the light blue carpet. He could not have ever guessed its color in such a light setting were it not for his excellent night vision, but for all his prowess Mickey did not seem able to detect whatever it was he was seeking. He had felt something here, still could. It was a force of some kind, a presence, perhaps. Yet there appeared to be nothing here at all.

Keeping his back as close to the wall as possible, the King made his way around until he was at the foot of an old wooden staircase. The steps went up a little ways before turning a corner and leading to the floor above. Mickey scrutinized the place once more, reluctant to step out into the open. The room was really quite cramped- not much space to conceal foes in. So, taking a breath that made him flinch because it seemed as loud as a whirlwind, he stepped away from the wall.

And just like a trap sprung by a trip wire, someone appeared in there with him. Slivers of cobalt and obsidian shadow converged, warping into a gateway that disappeared as quickly as it had come, and in its place stood a figure, one with liquid silver hair and burning golden eyes.

"Looking for something?" asked the Nobody coyly.

"Oh!" gasped Mickey, startled. His Keyblade flashed to life instantly, its white glare highlighting his deepening frown. "It was you..." said the King, lowering into a defensive crouch.

Mickey waited for an answer, but Xemnas didn't seem compelled to respond. His golden eyes glinted, as passive as ever. The man's very presence seemed to do something to the air, making the mouse's fur stand up on end and filling his stomach with acid. Well, if Xemnas wasn't going to say something, he would.

"What are you doing? How did you even come back? Nobodies that are destroyed don't have anything left to come back with," said Mickey, if only to break the silence.

Xemnas gave a little chuckle along with the barest hint of a smile. "Both excellent, albeit obvious, questions...but to be saved for another time, perhaps. You see, while you were gawking at me, you failed to notice the danger you were in. You really should pay more attention..."

Just then something fell from the floor above. It was a body, a person, descending with expert grace through the silent air without so much as a rustle of fabric. Mickey's keen ears picked up only the barest of noises coming from directly above his head, but it was much too late for him to move before the person landed behind him and jabbed something into his back.

Mickey's entire body went completely rigid, his shrill cry shooting through the air along with an electrified sizzle. The King crumpled spread eagle out on the floor, a dark figure straightening up behind him as he fell.

The person stepped up next to the unconscious mouse, nudging his head with one foot. When Mickey didn't move, the assassin knelt down and placed two fingers on his throat, noting the slow, sedated pulse. "I think I used too much voltage..." mused Havok. Quite frankly, he was impressed the little guy's heart hadn't given out; after all, the shock had been calibrated for a human sized body, not a mouse's.

"That should be sufficient to keep him out of the way for a while," said Xemnas.

Havok gave a low whistle. "Ohhh yeah..." He stood up, sheathing the deadly weapon. "So, do we just leave him here?"

"I believe this building has a special roof, correct? In that case, it will do just fine."

"Are they planning something?"

"Their computers revealed a defense mechanism called 'Radiant Purge'. Beware of that."

"Right." The assassin stretched languidly to loosen up his neck before putting up a mock salute. "Well, I guess I'll be going now. Got a date to catch, after all." And with a roguish grin he left, leaping onto the banister of the second floor and disappearing through a window.

Xemnas did or said nothing as Havok left to do as he pleased, and after a moment the Nobody's eyes fell apon Mickey's prone form. He seemed so peaceful in this state, despite the cause of it.

It was just like them, to get complacent - something he could not allow. There was simply no time. No time for peace and no time for rest.

"Events are quickly beginning to spiral into chaos. Let this be a reminder that you cannot afford to get comfortable."

He watched Mickey a while longer, letting his words sink into the ears that would never recall them. Finally he turned, submerging himself in the open jaws of a sinister looking Dark Corridor.

It was time for a little push...

* * *

After buying some much needed Hi-potions and Ethers from a nearby Moogle merchant, the team set off towards the south side of the Garden. It wasn't long afterwards that Sora released Roxas, though he did so much much less flourish than on Treasure Planet, at Roxas's request of course. Sora complained that it wasn't any fun that way, but his other half would have no more Pokemon references, and that was that.

Surprisingly enough, they met much less resistance this time around. A small crowd of people rushed in the opposite direction, towards the safe house, but beyond that any contact with humanity diminished significantly. Most of the heartless they came across were double teamed, attacked, and destroyed on sight, but their numbers soon thickened, like they were getting closer to something big.

The group raced down twisted streets, the dim shadows briefly illuminated by the flares of light created by spells and the graceful strokes of decorative keyblades. Once or twice they passed by a house consumed with flame. When they found such buildings the group did all they could to search them, looking through the windows for something, anything. But there was hardly any sign of life to be found, which meant that there was no one inside, or...

They tried their best to forget that last option.

Finally, after a particularly irritating ambush comprised of Deserter heartless, he group came upon a little clearing. It was a rectangular space, probably a town square for special events, or a small park for playing children. Unfortunately, the only kids currently in it were screaming in fear, for the whole place was filled with at least fifty people, and therefore also teeming with heartless. It didn't take long for Sora and the others to notice Leon and Cid fighting off the masses of heartless with weapons blazing.

From the way they were moving, it looked as if they were trying to guide the crowd to a building at the end of the lane, presumably another safe house. But things were looking grim. No matter how many the two destroyed, dozens of heartless were continually appearing out of nowhere. People were almost stampeding. Trees were on fire.

Cid was all but hunched over in exhaustion when Sora and Kairi raced up to him, Donald, Goofy, Roxas, and Riku in tow.

"Well...haha...ain't you kids a sight for sore eyes," he said, just before hefting his spear up into position and launching it at a lone Wyvern. The projectile hit its mark, impaling the dragon straight through its neck and sending it crashing to the ground.

"Cid, what do you want us to do?" asked Kairi.

"We have to protect these people as much as possible so they can get to safety, so you'd best get your butts moving quick!" he advised.

Sora nodded, then paused briefly to regard Leon, who seemed to be hacking away without tire. "What's up with him?"

Cid spared only a second to watch the Restoration Committee's leader, a sliver of concern appearing in the technician's eyes. "He must feel a personal obligation to these people. Seems there's a fire in 'im that don't want to go out... So try and stay out of his way, eh?" yelled Cid as he dashed over to finish off the fallen Wyvern. "You don't wanna be in front of that gunblade if he decides to go all Renzokuken on ya!"

The man's advice was duly noted within the group, but it wasn't long before the heartless took notice of the four keyblades, and their wielders were once again forced into action. At first Sora feared the dangers of trying to move through the panicked crowd, but they were soon able to spread out as the stream of people thinned little by little. Donald ran around casting ranged spells on flying and out-of-reach heartless, and Goofy used his powerful Tornado attack to dish out serious damage. Those that wielded the Keyblade fell comfortably into the rhythm of battle, dancing along the pattern of striking, dodging, blocking, and running.

Riku did, however, notice Kairi miss one too many times, the recoil nearly causing her to get nicked by the sword of a Bandit heartless. She flinched, of course, and leapt back a little farther than necessary. All the extra movement seemed to be taking its toll on her, which was attested to by the way she held her keyblade so low.

"Try not to waste energy attacking something you won't hit," he told her. "Watch your opponent carefully; it helps if you keep moving, too."

"Right," she nodded, shaking her head a little. Studying the spider like movements of a Pot Scorpion for a moment, she waited until it crawled up for an attack and then did something somewhat risky. Spinning low along the ground, Kairi managed to get past the monsters sharp legs so that she could deal a blow that counted- straight up into its belly. The heartless writhed and then faded, leaving Kairi standing with a tired but victorious smile.

"Not bad," said Riku with an encouraging nod.

As their desperate battle to protect the citizens continued, Sora and the others found that they did just as much healing as they did killing. They often came across people lying in the road. People that were hurt or unconscious, or...sometimes worse. The first death was the hardest to take in, so sudden, and yet it was done in a flash. Just like that, just as a candle gets smothered out by a gust of wind. And like a candles flame it was all burned into his memory, that death and every one thereafter, all sent to a place reserved for the most horrific images that would only surface to torment Sora in his sleep. It was nothing like the kinds of battles he was used to. Usually it was just him and a bunch of heartless. No one in between, no bodies.

Sora supposed it was better to be killed in an explosion or by falling debris than to have you heart stolen and become something grotesque, at least. But that didn't change how...strange he felt now. Kind of like he wasn't him at all, but instead looking down on himself from someone else's point of view. The only useful thing he got out of this was a sudden bloodwrath that fueled his every move, pushing him farther, faster. To hell with being tired! He didn't want to have to let anyone else die ever again!

Well, unfortunately, just as Sora though this to himself, the worst scene yet had begun to play out before him.

It started with a man. He was running past, carrying a little girl, his daughter who looked to be about four or five years old, in his arms. At first it seemed like he would make it, but then a gang of Hover Ghosts appeared out of nowhere. One snatched the little girl, easily lifting her out of reach, and before the man could so much as jump up to get her, another one got him from behind and dug its claws deep into his back. His legs were still running underneath him as the heartless carried him up towards the sky.

The man's face contorted in pain, but his daughter's sudden shrieking seemed to rouse him, and he struggled against his captor while searching frantically for his little girl. Not even a second later three more ghosts showed up, all heading towards the helpless father, and Sora could swear he saw the man's expression change from defiance to utter disbelief and despair.

All three brought their claws down on him at once, and the sky was rent with his agonizing cries. But his suffering brought not a single tear of pity to their spiraled, displaced eyes, and their crooked grins remained just as twisted an permanent as before.

All of this happened before Sora could even run to aid them, and he was about to scream for someone, anyone, to do something, when at last he heard: "RAAAAAHHH!"

Something raced right past Sora like a bullet, moving so fast that it almost made him fall over. A glint of steel and a blaze of brown hair. Sora blinked and realized it was Leon.

The man was caught up in a rage, and it looked as though his weary body was only pushing on out of sheer willpower. Leon tore through the multitude of heartless like a hurricane, his gunblade, obliterating at least a dozen of them before he leapt up into the air and destroyed several Hover Ghosts in one violent slice. At the same moment, a spear shot through the air and put an end to the one that had the little girl. Cid Highwind dove off a rooftop to catch her and landed safely. But now, however, there was something...off about her father.

His body hung limply in the arms of the last heartless, rivers of red beginning to spout from fresh wounds in his chest. His eyes were glassy and his expression pained, but with something else in it, like he was trying to...remember something. The heartless supporting him, for whatever reason, vanished and released its prey, the man falling to the ground as if in a dream.

Sora, too, felt like he was dreaming as he raced over to catch the man, who fell like a rag doll into his arms. Sora shook him a little, but regardless of his efforts the man's eyes were rapidly closing, his consciousness beginning to drift somewhere very far away.

After that it only got worse, and Sora could only stare on as a bad feeling rose in his gut. Suddenly the man's form began to alter, crumpling in on itself as his skin quickly melted into a black ooze, which pooled onto the ground. And Sora desperately grasped at the writhing, shadowy dredges, but it was slippery and ice cold, and in less than a second the bulbous mass grew flailing appendages and twitching antennae. Finally, the remaining blobs of pitch black shadow completed their formation, and then, from deep within the darkness of its spherical head, two yellow eyes ignited like a flame.

Someone once told Sora that heartless take on different forms depending on the amount of darkness in a person's heart. Everyone has darkness, no matter who they are, what they've done, or how good they are. It's only natural, with very few exceptions.

The most common species of Pureblood Heartless is the Shadow or Mega-Shadow, usually. But sometimes Sora wondered about the Darkside heartless. What kind of...what kind of person did it take to become something so huge, so monstrous? What sort of things had they done to get all that darkness inside of them? He didn't know, and he didn't want to know, either.

As Sora watched all of this happen, thinking these things for the hundredth time, he knew he would later come to remember this moment as the worst thing he had ever witnessed. Worse than when he'd watched that one person turned heartless in Traverse Town long ago. Because this time Sora knew this man had been a father, and the proof was right over there, hugged in the arms of Cid Highwind.

The little girl was still sobbing and trembling, so much so that she couldn't have noticed what had just happened, and Cid was looking on, holding her so that she faced the other way.

Sora glanced at her and then back down, somehow feeling so guilty. He wondered...if this was how Riku felt, and, looking up, he saw Riku gazing at them bleakly, his expression heavy. Kairi was there, too, eyebrows laced together.

The newborn heartless before him looked blankly at itself, then at its surroundings, twitching like it had an itch it couldn't scratch. Sora couldn't help but think the creature looked sort of...lost. It didn't seem to be doing much.

_Could he have retained some of his humanity somehow? _wondered Sora.

The sounds of battle had died down for a moment, and there was a break between Heartless waves, for the time being. Sora felt it, though: more were already on their way.

"Uh-huh-uh!" gasped the little girl in choked sobs.

"Shhh...hush up now," whispered Cid, eying the shadow warily.

The sound of metal scraping on pavement came to life suddenly. Leon, looking like the walking dead and bleeding badly, was slowly making his way towards them, dragging Lionhart on the road behind him. His blue eyes, seeming so hollow, were locked onto the average sized heartless. He lifted his blade slightly as he drew close, his breath coming out in short, audible bursts, a slight limp in his step.

"Leon..." spoke Sora, "Leon, wait..."

The man pushed past him adamantly. "There's nothing left on him, Sora," grunted Leon. "We have to destroy it. I'm responsible for them. I'll do it." Leon said it as if he were accepting some kind of punishment.

The little girl continued to sob in the background, pausing every now and then to sniff into Cid's shirt. The middle-aged man seemed at least twenty years older now. "I'll take this one to the safe house," he said, jaw tight as he turned to leave. "See you there..."

He probably didn't want to watch any longer, and quite frankly, Sora didn't feel up to it, either. For once, the Chosen Keyblade Wielder was not sure what to do, and he was at a crossroads between acting, leaving, and staying still. For once, Sora had met a heartless that he didn't want to kill. He looked back at Leon, who was slowly approaching the complacent Shadow. The whoosh of beating wings and the pounding of monstrous feet was swiftly rising in the distance once again. More were coming.

Finding himself speechless, Sora glanced at the others. Riku looked somewhat pained as he stared at the ground resignedly, and it almost seemed like his head was inclined in respect. Kairi's jaw was clenched, eyes blurred over with tears.

"Ohhh..." sighed Donald sadly. Goofy took off his hat. Even Roxas just stood there solemnly.

It was like an execution or a funeral procession. The sounds of the approaching heartless created a morbid soundtrack to the event taking place in the town square.

The little Shadow just stood there, looked at Leon, then at the buildings, then at Leon again, twitching, twitching, twitching. Finally, as Leon came within a few yards of the heartless, something changed. When it glanced up at him again with its huge, golden eyes, for some reason its whole body just went rigid- right before it descended into a real twitching frenzy, the creatures tiny body hardly able to contain it sudden excitement. There was an irresistible heart heading its way, and the instinct to consume it was taking over.

The rest happened like a play-by-play scene in Sora's mind. Suddenly, and for some reason this struck Sora with shock, the Shadow leaped up and flung itself recklessly at Leon with claws raised. It arced through the warm air, and Leon reacted. He brought his gunblade up, catching the heartless in a perfectly symmetrical line down its body. And then the sword came earthward and the little Shadow was brutally smitten into the ground, shortly before vanishing in a puff of smoke.

No heart escaped into the night sky, for Pureblood Heartless do not release hearts. But as Sora stared up at where that hearts should have been, he committed this moment to memory, so that he would personally destroy every Hover Ghost he met from that point on, and then maybe he could free that one man's heart someday.

The group remained silent as the remains of the heartless slowly vaporized and there was nothing left to tell of its brief existence. Sora stared at the spot where the Shadow had been slain, the sounds of the gathering heartless pounding in his ears, until someone said, "We should go. The Purge should be firing up any minute now."

Sora didn't remember who said it- probably Leon. He barely even heard it. But slowly, one by one the group turned to leave.

Amongst them, Leon looked the most beaten. Bedraggled though he was, he accepted no assistance from any of them. Even when they reached the safe house and some people came out to help Leon walk, he insisted that they leave him alone.

Standing outside the large building, Sora could tell that he, just like everyone else, was dreading going into that safe house. What if that little girl was there, asking for her father? He could picture her sad little eyes, red and puffy from crying, her expression so scared, with those dirty blond curls... What could he say to that? Could he tell her the truth, somehow make her understand? Or would he lie just to comfort her?

It got worse the more he thought about it, like a lead weight chained to his heart and like acid to his eyes. Kairi was quite still, looking very choked up as Donald talked to her in a sober voice. Goofy had his hand on Kairi's shoulder, doing his best to be supportive as always. Riku looked distant, gazing into some faraway place as a dull frown overtook his stony expression. Leon was just barely putting up with a woman who was attempting to apply first aid to his wounded bicep. He didn't seem to be in very good shape, either.

Sighing, Sora stared at his feet, feeling deflated. He was just about ready to head inside when, seemingly from out of nowhere, he heard a sudden burst of frantic wingbeats. Glancing up, he realized that it was Ardeo.

The little dragon was chirping up a storm, dashing through the air and skittering along their shoulders in alarm. Despite all the sudden confusion, Sora welcomed the distraction. Ardeo stopped in mid-flight, hovering in front of Riku's face and barking strange, throaty noises at him. Riku, taken aback, seemed to be trying to get a read on the dragon's behavior. Whatever it was, it must be urgent.

"Skyra," muttered Sora, recalling her absence.

"I think he wants to lead us to her," said Riku as he glanced at them.

"Your friend out there somewhere?" said a gruff voice. It was Cid, coming out to check on things.

"Yeah," answered Sora.

"Gawrsh, she might not even know about the self-defense mechanism," commented Goofy in concern.

"That dangerous looking one?" asked Leon as he flinched away from the rubbing alcohol being applied to his arm. "She seemed like she could handle herself."

Cid regarded the ragged Leon. "Yeah, it's that type that ya gotta _really _look out for," he said pointedly. "Look at you, boy. You really gone an' done it this time."

"I'm fine," growled Leon.

"I'll bet." Cid's voice was dripping sarcasm. Meanwhile, the Heartless were getting closer.

"Are you sure you guys will be okay here?" asked Kairi.

Leon stood to his full height, evidently trying not to wince. "Yeah. Looks like we'll just have to fight."

"Hmph, but you ain't throwing yourself out on this one," commented Cid. "We got gunners on the roof, reinforced armor on the building, and yours truly," he added with a smirk. "Merlin also went around casting all kinds of voodoo protection whatevers around the area, but I'll be darned if I rely on magic to do the job."

"I guess it's settled then," broken Roxas for the first time. The Nobody had his keyblades away for the time being, trying to look inconspicuous since no one here even knew who he was.

Cid payed the boy little attention. "Just be careful now. That Purge is gonna come down in less than ten minutes. I would know; I built it."

"Right, thanks guys," waved Sora as he took off after Ardeo. The others also waved goodbye before following along.

_Pata-pata-pata-pata-pat..._

Their many footsteps pounded off the cold pavement, echoing in the distance with the strange acoustics of the area. Every house and shop they passed stared back at them through blank windows, and they felt rather than saw that each pen was empty. That was just how it felt, like a void.

Ardeo raced ahead of them, urging the group on with his piercing cries. If the speedy dragon ever got too far ahead he would circle back, sometimes perching on one of their shoulders for a break.

They rushed through the roads and alleyways, each person wondering what might have happened to Skyra. Despite their anxiety, the trip was rather short. Just a few small blocks one way and a few more another way, and there they were. By the time they arrived it seemed that Roxas had depleted all his allotted time, and he merged back into Sora in an aura of bright light.

Searching around for a moment they quickly noticed Skyra standing on a rooftop not far away, accompanied by another man. Both were armed and had their weapons drawn in a standoff.

* * *

The air was eerily warm, tinged with the scent of iron and the sound of heavy breathing, although only one smelled of iron and the other was breathing heavily. The metallic roof glistened in the starlight, still thrumming with the memory of the two pairs of feet that had danced along its surface.

Skyra stared at the young man before her, the air rushing in and out of her lungs like an uncertain whirlwind. She'd scored several small cuts on the body of her opponent, but while Havok was streaked with red, she had grown wearier than he. Normally Havok didn't have a problem hitting back, but it seemed this time he had seen fit to toy with her.

The ebony haired figure shifted his winglike blades, opening his mouth in an indulgent grin. "You know, Skyra," he purred, "I really enjoy our battles more than any others. No one else I know fights quite the way you do."

Skyra narrowed her eyes at the taunting compliment, hating his nonchalant banter, his smile. And those deep, dark blue eyes... They showed no pity, not even a sliver of remorse. Just cool interest. Amusement!

The air around her was becoming infused with anger, hatred. She sucked it in with each labored breath, letting it fill her every cavity until she could feel herself boiling with rage. She could swear her vision was going red, a hazy pool of failing peripherals with Havok standing at its center, in perfect clarity.

And with him came memories, just flashes: the cool feel of stone on her hand from where she had hid that day, her father rushing by, running towards her mother in distress. She remembered Havok, too, though he was much younger then, along with a man she did not recognize; she only remembered the glint of malice in his expression. Then there was her father again, just a few feet from the woman whose hair she had inherited. But Skyra knew that he never made it in this memory: she'd seen it a million times over.

Because now an explosion of light ignited in the corners of her mind and ended the memory, riveting her very soul.

It was the day her life ended.

And it was all his fault... All because of him!

Skyra stared right into him, a wolfish snarl forming on her lips, hands clutching her daggers until they trembled. If he felt no remorse for what happened back then, then she had more than enough energy to fight...and to slice him up until his pain matched hers!

Skyra snapped in an almost impossible fashion, every part of her body springing into motion at once as she launched herself right at Havok. Her wide eyes were deadlocked onto him, daggers glinting, crying out for his blood.

Havok saw this, and smiled.

His attacker roared savagely, launching a salvo of knives which he nimbly dodged. Havok came out of a spin with one blade raised, knowing that she would strike him directly, but before she did he heard someone shout, "Skyra!" This distracted him, if only slightly, his eyes darting in the voice's direction just as he felt the force of Skyra's attack. The resulting impact pushed him back farther than it would have normally.

"Oh?" he grunted in a low voice, straining against the pressure of Skyra's adrenaline fueled rage. "I was under the impression that we'd be alone."

Their clash went on a moment later before breaking violently, both of them getting knocked back several feet. Looking slightly to his right, Havok saw that a small posse had intruded upon their duel, and they were the very same group of kids he had met in Twilight Town, no less. The one with the porcupine head seemed to be very concerned for the weary Skyra, and spoke after glancing at him for a second.

"Skyra," he said again, "what are you doing? We have to get out of here; why are you fighting this guy anyway?"

Havok snickered at this, returning his gaze back to Skyra. "You haven't told them?" he asked, mildly interested. "I figured you would have loved to demonize me. It seems instead that you'd rather betray their trust."

"...At least... I have a reason to," growled Skyra, surprising him. Funny, she was usually dead silent during their encounters. "But you..." she hissed between breaths, a flash of that familiar wrath in her eyes, "...you didn't...!"

And Skyra rushed at him again, as if she had absolutely no concern for her own limits or the fact that Havok could easily kill her with such a reckless attack. _Well then_, she thought, _he had better hurry up and do it. _At least then, maybe...maybe she might...see them again.

Strangely enough, however, as Skyra rapidly gained ground towards him, Havok seemed only able to blink suddenly. He blinked once for just a split second, then blinked again to see that she was only moments from reaching him. And then- for this seemed to be a day for strange things- something else happened. A magical wall of dark light just appeared right in front of him, reflector hexagons facing both he and she alike, so that neither of them could cross it. Havok finally moved only to watch, as Skyra, who had ample time to stop, crashed right into it, and was instantly deflected backwards.

"Ahhh!" she cried, taking damage from the Dark Shield and tumbling onto the rooftop. After several rough backwards somersaults she stopped, ending up hunched over on one knee. The five bystanders rushed to her side with Riku in the lead, whose confusion and concern left him speechless.

If Skyra looked beat before, she definitely looked the part now, fresh scratches and bruises adorning her arms, legs, and back. She was gasping now for air, breaths coming in haggard, rapid bursts. Ardeo zipped down next to her and looked up in concern, but the girl's eyes were tightly sealed.

* "Skyra..." murmured Kairi, shocked. Glancing up, she noticed Havok staring at them in much the same way, his usual glint of amusement gone from his eyes. And then, just for a moment, she though she saw his expression become distinctly bitter. But then suddenly a pulsing, deafening hum invaded the air, causing him to look up to the sky.

The omnipresent sound was deep, pulsing, an electrified resonance that seemed to fill their ears and reverberate forcefully in their chests. Following Havok's gaze, everyone watched as waves of brilliant sparks shot their way to the top of the dome in rapid succession, racing ever higher until the whole sky flashed with their power. They were getting faster, brighter, erupting in tune with that earth-shaking hum. It was as the whole world seemed to be sounding off its own countdown that every person on that rooftop knew that they were out of time.

And then, as those blinding flares began to quickly blend into one sustained flash, so, too, did that rippling roar, and now it was coming from behind them. Sora, Donald, Goofy, Riku, and Kairi spun around at once to face whatever could possibly be the origin of that terrifying noise.

And what they saw was a wall. A wall of the purest, brightest, hottest, most destructive beam of light any of them had ever seen. It encompassed every square inch of the domes outer wall to the ground, literally disintegrating anything, everything in its path.

The Radiant Purge.

And it was coming straight for them.

When Havok's head tilted back down, he was smiling again. That condescending smirk had slipped easily back onto his face, and now his eyes were alight like blue flame as his irises refracted the intense white light back at them. The young man's pitch black hair fluttered violently in the sudden blast of hot air, each and every contour of his body thrown into highlight from the Purge's glare. "Well then," he shouted against the deafening ambience, "it looks like it's time for me to take my leave. And personally, I wouldn't stick around either if I were you."

And with his last parting words, Havok spun on his heels, dashing along the rooftop in the opposite direction.

The others watched him go for barely a second before turning once again to see that they had mere moments left until the Radiant Purge superheated their atoms into oblivion, and they had a feeling that, if that happened, there wouldn't even be ashes left behind. "We have to go, now!" barked Riku, the first to react. He turned to Skyra, "Hey, come on!" he urged, jolting her shoulder; but the girl didn't react at all, just remained still with her eyes closed as if we she were in another time and place entirely.

The massive wall of light was rapidly gaining on them, but despite its raw power or their urgent cries, Skyra still did not budge. Ardeo was zipping about her frantically, tugging on her sleeve and any other piece of clothing he could grab in utter desperation. Still, she just didn't seem to care. Finally, as the light began to reach an almost blinding intensity, Sora and Kairi forced the girl to her feet, gripped her hands, and pulled her into a reluctant run towards it.

With just seconds to spare they made it to safety, dashing to the open trapdoor that had lead them there and diving in. Riku brought up the rear, taking one last stride before cartwheeling and snatching the door's handle, allowing his momentum to swing it shut as he fell, and instantly plunging them into darkness.

Meanwhile, back outside, Havok's flight to refuge was still not over. He was almost like a gliding bird as he held his twin backhanded blades out on either side of him, sprinting along the tip of a rooftop at full tilt. In his wake was the Radiant Purge, the unrelenting, all-consuming light that threatened to overtake him at the rate it was moving. Funny enough, Havok appeared quite calm, considering the circumstances.

Finally, as the dark figure drew close to the edge of the building, he sheathed his weapons and dove off it in one fluid motion, expertly launching himself straight through the air like an arrow. He was airborne for barely an instant, and the very moment before the wall of light would have struck him he disappeared, his body smashing through a shuttered window and tumbling into a lurid room.

The brilliant light passed by overhead, and all that could be seen was painted a stunning, untainted white.

* * *

The first thing Riku was aware of was a gentle morning light which seemed to originate from some window nearby. His eyes flicked open and he briefly recognized the pale grey wood that composed the ceiling before he inhaled deeply and rolled onto his side, still drowsy. Moments later he opened his eyes again, finally realizing that he had been sleeping on the scratchy carpet. He sat up slowly, rubbing the back of his head while he gazed on each of his sleeping friends as the memories from last night resurfaced to the forefront of his mind.

He massaged the bridge of his nose. Some of them he would rather not think about.

To his left was the source of the light that awoke him, and now he saw that it was not a window at all. More like a gaping hole, really. Curiosity overtaking him, Riku stood up and went to take a look outside.

It wasn't long later when Sora awoke, his bum aching from sleeping up against the wall all night. Even in his lethargic state he quickly noticed the absence of someone. "Riku...?" he muttered, yawning. He rubbed a hand over one eye before looking around again. Kairi was still curled up nearby, and Donald and Goofy were snoring softly by the adjacent wall. Sora suddenly heard a set of footsteps coming from a hole in the wall, and he glanced up to see his missing friend walking in through it.

Riku strode in slowly, and when he noticed that Sora was awake, offered a small smile. "Hey," he said, seeming to gauge his friend's condition.

"Hey, Riku." Sora turned his head towards the destroyed section of the wall. "How is it?" The simple question was infused with so much more weight than its words alone would have let on.

Riku's smile melted right off his face, shoulders sagging slightly. "It's...kind of desolate," he said soberly. "But, I think some people are starting to come out."

Sora hummed in response and rose to his feet to see for himself. He placed his hand on the uneven rubble, blinking through the haze of light. His eyes adjusted soon thereafter, and what he saw made him release a small, audible breath.

Riku was right. There was hardly anything to look at but battered buildings. The Purge had utterly decimated any standing structure which was not equipped with special roofs, or else reduced it to a heap of burnt rubble and barely intact frames with little chance of ever being stable again. In stark contrast to these buildings, however, were those that did have the proper protection and had come out virtually unscathed. Any sign of flowers and other plant life had been utterly wiped out of existence, along with anything too fragile to withstand such destructive light.

The only consolation of such a grey sight was that there was no longer any deceased lying in the roads. Their bodies had turned to ash and their cinders atomized, and all the wind had to do was gently chase the remnants away and scatter them throughout the world.

"...Why did this happen?"

Sora's question made Riku gaze up. His friend's face told everything, like it always did. His bright, sapphire eyes wandered aimlessly, somehow seeming duller than usual. Sora's eyebrows were arched together and his lips curved in an uncharacteristic frown, head tilted down ever so slightly with his shoulders low, like he was shrinking away from the world. It reminded Riku of something, the only other time he'd ever seen his friend like this...

His mouth opened and then closed, and he thought for a moment before answering. "I guess...when the rain falls, it doesn't really care who's standing under it."

Sometimes the only way to start healing is to accept things as they come. Everybody gets hit with problems; deserving them has nothing to do with it. He really wished he could do better than that.

_Sora probably would have._Still, what else was there?

Sora looked down and grunted softly, seeming to accept the answer. A few moments later he turned away from the sight, gazing instead at Skyra, whose sleeping form lie curled up by the wall, her face hidden protectively in one corner of the room. Somewhere between her body and the wall was Ardeo, still slumbering deeply after all the healing he had done on Skyra last night.

"What was all of that about, anyway?" mumbled Sora reflectively. He was referring to something that went down immediately after the Radiant Purge passed over the roof last night. Riku frowned, recalling the troubling memory.

_Sora and Kairi helped Skyra sit up against the wall as the deafening electric hum began to fade slowly into the distance. The older teen grimaced, her skin burning like fire from where a few painful scrapes became pinpricked with tiny bits of escaping blood. Her body was limp with exhaustion, hair in disarray, eyes never opening more than halfway._

_The instant she saw Riku, however, every joint became tense. He had only passed into her vision for a second as he knelt down to see if she was okay, but once his image made it into her eyes she jerked suddenly, her face perfectly recreating the very same rage she had displayed towards Havok. She grunted, trying to lunge at him, but the bewildered Sora and Kairi managed to hold her back with her shoulders pinned to the wall._

_"Skyra?!"_

_"Stop; hey, what are you doing?!"_

_Riku stepped back a pace, mouth slightly agape in shock. Skyra continued to struggle in vain, ignoring the protests of the others. "You..." she growled at him, voice strained, "...you protected him...!" It was hardly even speech at all, just scratchy consonants strung together without actual vowels, escaping through constricted breaths._

_"No, I-" stammered Riku, confused. "Skyra- he could have killed you...!"_

_Skyra glared up at him, still pushing against Sora and Kairi. "Well, you should have let him...!" she spat, finally giving in to exhaustion and allowing the other two to force her back against the wall, where she relaxed. She groaned softly, head bowed low with eyelids drooping, her heaving chest slowly taxing itself into silence._

_The room was struck mute as her ragged breaths finally eased, and Riku could only stand there and stare at the unconscious girl while Ardeo wrapped his little body around one of her arms, and began to emit a gentle green light._

It was then that he replayed that look she gave him in his head, and as he looked at her now, he could still remember it. Her eyes... They had been filled with so much hatred...and so much pain. Riku couldn't help but wonder... What could have happened to cause Skyra to act that way?

"... I don't know," he answered finally, and he and Sora just watched her for a moment more.

Eventually Riku sat down on the edge of the shattered wall, sighing. "She's going to kill me someday, you know," he said dryly.

Sora sat next to him, just a ghost of a smile on his lips. "Well...maybe she just needs some help dealing with her problems. That's what we gotta do, right?" said Sora before burying his head in his arms.

Riku regarded him briefly. How very Sora like, to say something like that.

"Yeah," he said, closing his eyes.

* * *

The funeral was grievous.

Once everyone was fed and cared for, a mandatory head count was carried out to determine who had survived. It took a little over an hour, but finally a number was conceived.

The death count totaled at forty-two.

Forty-two people. Forty-two people, who, whether they knew it or not, had someone out there that loved them. The population of Radiant Garden wasn't exactly a sprawling metropolis, so almost everybody knew these people personally. Friends, siblings, parents, sons, daughters, husbands, wives...or just that person you passed by everyday: gone.

Now they could only be visited in their memories.

The memorial service was held by the far wall, where nothing had yet been built. Since few actual bodies remained, only one or two were burned in separate bonfires. Grave stones were erected, taken from the rubble of the destroyed buildings, and marked with the names of the deceased. Any and all reconstruction work was put on hold so that everyone could gather together in the city's first graveyard.

Sora, Riku, Kairi, Donald, Goofy, and Skyra found seats next to King Mickey, who greeted them with a fading smile. "Hey, fellas," he said quietly. The others nodded towards him and he faced forward, but despite seeming a bit troubled, he said nothing more.

Instead of grass or grey dirt, the ground was now composed of a strange, faceted blue glass which came about as a result of the Purge's heat melting and reforming the cobalt rock below. The glistening, layered crystal seemed to hold and reflect the very same emotions of loss and sorrow that the people standing on it felt, and it was declared a sanctified place where nothing was to be built or added, aside from future monoliths.

Any who were willing came forward and spoke about the ones who perished at the hands of the Heartless. It was their testimonies that hurt the most. They talked about a lot of things, like the good times they had spent together, their favorite things about them, and how they just wanted to see them again. That's all they wanted, just to have them back, to embrace them, to at least say goodbye.

Most everyone who stood up to speak started out, or ended up, crying. They said things like how they would miss watching a certain kid racing down the street on their skateboard, or how they would turn around, and expect their sister to be sitting right there at her desk, like always. Not everyone handled it as graciously, but that was to be expected. Even some members of the Restoration Committee gave short speeches, but there were no words about burying grief or being strong or moving on; that would have just been too fake. Instead they chose to talk among the people personally, just being with them in their heartbreak, letting them know that they were there.

Only with time would they begin to heal on their own, but not for quite a while more.

As Sora listened to all their stories, he couldn't help but feel like he was...filled with something. It was huge and heavy, expanding in his chest until he felt it was going to burst out. He couldn't tell exactly what it was...just that it...was always there. Sometimes he would zone out, but even his absentminded daydreams didn't necessarily provide an escape from all the sorrow that had seemingly become a part of him, a part of all of them.

After people stopped sharing their stories, the crowd dispersed, and everyone was allowed to walk wherever they wished and talk to the others that were gathered there. Sora found himself wandering numbly about the premises, sometimes receiving attention from some of the townspeople. They would tell him about someone that they lost, or someone that was alive because of him, thanking Sora genuinely for doing what he did, regardless.

He always walked away with mixed feelings.

At some point he stumbled upon Yuffie, who had just finished conversing with a woman who was crying softly. He asked her where Leon was, since it had occurred to him that the man had not yet shown up. Yuffie said that he was probably still resting because of his injuries, and mentioned that all he had wanted to do that morning was stare at the wall.

"Oh..." murmured Sora thoughtfully. He must not be handling it very well. Sora recalled how withdrawn and yet unyielding Leon had been acting last night. _Maybe we should pay him a visit_, he thought to himself.

Meanwhile, leaning up against the far wall, Riku had opted to stand by himself for a while. He watched people as they visited the new graves, letting his thoughts wander, although his mind felt rather empty at the moment. Still, he found that it was fairly easy to blend into the background since no one here really knew him. That was fine, he guessed. Besides, where would he even begin when talking to these people?

Riku sighed, turning his ocean eyes down to Ardeo, who was curled up like a kitten in his arms. Oddly enough, the little dragon had slept soundly throughout the whole morning, which concerned him. As Riku watched him, he recalled something Skyra had said to him earlier.

_"It's probably better that way... Otherwise, all their sorrow might overwhelm him."_

It was just a passing comment, really. Aside from that, Skyra had displayed a stone cold demeanor ever since waking up.

'Overwhelm him'? thought Riku as he studied Ardeo's expressionless face. Was she saying that Ardeo took on the emotions of everyone around him, despite the fact that he was only linked to Skyra and himself? He wondered... if it ever got to him...

_You know,_ thought Riku as he pet the creature's ears gently, _for such a small little guy, you've got a pretty big heart._Ardeo shifted slightly and wheezed out a little breath as his head nudged deeper into Riku's arm, which managed to pull the boy's lips into an unexpected smile.

It was at this time that he noticed King Mickey walking in his direction, the mouse's feet seeming to tread so heavily for someone of his weight.

"Your Majesty?" queried Riku curiously.

"Hmm? Oh, hey, Riku," responded the King. "You know you can just call me Mickey, right?" he said with something that barely qualified as a chuckle. "I've already told you that."

"Old habit, I guess."

Mickey hummed in response. "Riku, could you come with me for a moment? There's something I think I should tell you guys."

Riku observed Mickey curiously before kicking off the wall and following him. "Okay..."

Riku and Mickey meandered around for a while until they had gathered all the scattered members of their group, all except for Skyra, for she had apparently decided to leave sometime during the reception and had not been seen since then. As they walked, Riku easily picked up on Sora's rather morose behavior. It wasn't a particularly difficult perception, with the way he glanced dully at the ground around them, almost looking a little lost.

_Well, it's understandable_, thought Riku as he continued to pet Ardeo. Still, he kept an eye on him anyway.

Eventually they reached a small space not occupied by any citizens of Radiant Garden, a place on the edge of the new graveyard between the evenly placed rows of headstones and a large tree. The tree itself was the only complete specimen of foliage still standing, which was due to its sheer size and density. Unfortunately, it was, of course, bare of leaves, and the entire surface had become black as the bark burned away and what remained had turned to charcoal in the Purge. On it, the people had hung small charms and decorations with photos of the departed.

"This is the one you met last night," said Mickey as he handed Riku something. "It's a picture of that girl and her father. Her family thought that you should have it."

Riku gazed at the photo momentarily before closing his eyes and handing it to Sora. To his side was Kiari, who held half of the picture in her other hand. Goofy looked at it over their shoulders while Donald struggled to stand tall enough to get a glimpse. In the center of the picture was indeed the same man who had died only hours ago, and adorning his shoulders was the same little girl. Both were smiling, eyes closed in the joy of the moment. It was a perfect picture taken out of an instant in another time, one that only existed in the ink that now composed it, and in the hearts of those connected to it.

"What about the rest of them?" asked Riku. "Did...they make it?"

Mickey nodded. "Yes. She has an older sister and a mom. They're doing okay."

Tears, wet and bright, began to form in Kairi's eyes. She sniffed quietly and rubbed her face into Sora's shoulder.

Donald wringed his feathered fingers together, unable to look at anything but the ground.

"She's way too young to have seen something like this," muttered Riku in a low voice.

"Thank you," said Sora to Mickey, his voice almost a whisper.

Mickey nodded. "It's just that..."

"This isn't what you wanted to tell us," said Riku knowingly.

"You're right, it wasn't, Riku."

"What?" quacked Donald. "What is it, Your Majesty?"

The others gave Mickey their full attention, likewise intrigued.

"You all might be wondering how the heartless got in last night," the King began. "The Garden's field barrier is supposed to make it impossible for them to get in, right? But what if they were being manipulated again?"

"Manipulated?" parroted Goofy with his hand on his chin.

"I don't like where this is going," said Riku. "Mickey, what's going on? Just say it."

Mickey sighed and averted his gaze. "Guys, last night...I was ambushed by Xemnas."

"What?!" said the others in unison. It was not a shocked gasp, but more like a stark moment of stolen breath and frozen eyes. A sharp whisper. "What happened?" asked Sora and his voice cracked slightly, "Are you alright?"

"Well, he...made sure that I was in a safe building," explained Mickey, "which means that he wanted me to survive. I'm ashamed to say that if it weren't for that, I might not have made it at all. Anyway, I can only assume that he wanted me to tell you guys this, although the reasons as to why are innumerable."

"Hmmm..." hummed Goofy. "D'ya think he's plannin' somethin' sneaky?"

"Regardless, what I'm tryin' to say is that we don't have any time to spare," stressed Mickey. "We need to get all those pieces together as soon as possible and find Arcadia before Xemnas."

"Or else he could destroy the balance between light and darkness..." recalled Donald.

"And, most of all, I want you to be very careful, all of you. Xemnas is not a joke. He is an intellectual and a manipulator at his very core. There is every possible chance that he will attempt to get inside your heads, or worse, get between you." Mickey dropped his gaze to the ground. "I once had some very special friends who were separated because of the same man. Or at least, another version of him. And guys, I don't know if I can take that again..."

"You mean Xehanort?" said Sora. "Before he became a Nobody."

Mickey nodded his head and closed his eyes in thought. "No matter what I did, I just...couldn't save them. And ever since then, Xehanort has shown up in one form or another, always using the darkness to achieve own ends."

A heavy silence drifted by as King Mickey stared silently at the ground.

"Aw, don't worry, Your Majesty," saluted Goofy. "We'll be careful and get goin' right away."

"Yeah," echoed Donald. "That Xemnas is gonna pay for what he's done!"

"I don't want you guys going after him because of this, okay?" clarified Mickey. "Just find all those scattered pieces and come back safe. Cid is almost done fixing the Cygnus, so you'll be heading out again soon."

The five before him nodded silently. None of them appeared to have anything much to talk about.

"And take this with you," added Mickey as he placed something in Sora's hands. The object was leathery with a buckle connecting both ends, rather like a collar. A gold metal tag clinked as it slid along the strap, and on it was inscribed a thunderbolt insignia. "He's a very powerful friend that can assist you in battle," explained Mickey, "so call him any time."

Sora nodded and put the bolt charm in his pocket.

"Isn't there anything else we can do here?" said Kairi, gazing off at a few destroyed buildings.

"Afraid not," answered Mickey. "The whole community is taking the day off from reconstruction, but you can do whatever you want until you leave, I guess."

"Oh..."

As Sora stared down in a melancholy daze, a large tear rolled, unbidden, down his cheek, somehow stealing the attention of everyone around him. Sora himself looked a little surprised, lifting one hand to rub his eye. "I just... I don't know. I'm sorry..." he murmured sullenly.

"There's hardly any point in holding it in," chuckled Riku. "You always did used to cry a lot."

"Riku..." whined Sora as he dropped his head onto his friend's shoulder. "This isn't the time to be making jokes..."

"...Yeah," breathed Riku, patting Sora's back gently.

Seconds later, Kairi decided to sandwich Sora between them with an earnest hug. "It's alright, Sora," she comforted.

Riku looked up at Donald and Goofy and noticed how watery their eyes just got all of the sudden. He raised an eyebrow at them, but then raised both when the two made a dash towards him like they wanted to follow Kairi's example.

"Aw, Sora!" exclaimed Goofy, apparently deeply moved. Donald was close behind him.

"No...wait-" stammered Riku, but it was too late. He managed to keep his footing when Goofy slammed into them, but it was Donald's flying jump tackle that finally knocked him over like a domino.

"Uh...!" grunted Riku as he collapsed along with everyone else on top of him. He struggled to free himself, but found that Kairi was trapped in an uncomfortable position, Donald and Goofy were sort of sobbing on top of her, and Sora's limp body was crossed over his and he didn't really seem to care much about the whole situation. Finally, after trying once more, he gave in and fell back, winded from all the crushing weight

Mickey just stared at them from a few feet away, the unexpected dogpile finally managing to put a small smile on his lips.

Next to Riku's face lay Ardeo, curled up where he fell to the ground. The diminutive dragon stirred and yawned, then closed his bleary eyes once again and succumbed to sleep. Riku forced himself to take a strained breath before gazing up at the gray sky.

_This day...had just been just too much..._

* * *

High in the sky above, unbeknownst to the denizens of Radiant Garden, a star flashed bright with the intensity of a dying supernova before blinking out and then disappearing into the darkness of the endless sea of space.

* * *

Haha... Did you guys think it was going to be all sunshine and butterflies for this whole story? Yeah right. The darkness is already coming, and we've only just begun...

Am I horrible for doing this? Hmm... I don't know, but of you leave your responses in the form of a comment, then at least I succeeded in getting one out of you, so that's something... (Honestly, I cried a tad bit when I wrote one part xD)

Gah, now I'm getting a little bored of Heartless. I want to use the Dream Eaters now...xD

Well, I guess that's all. Be sure to tell me how it was, even if it was bad. See you guys later :)


	20. Corda Seperari

**Chapter 20: Corda Seperari**

I know, I know, you were all anxiously waiting for the next installment, because you love this story so desperately that you thought you would die without it! Am I right? Am I? Of course I am.

Jay-kay. xD

And about last chapter... Well, somehow a few gory parts got taken out in the final draft, so...eh, I might put them back in if it seems right. But I'm glad you guys liked it (from the two reviews I got, that is). Not complaining or anything. Just sayin'.

I'm not counting your review, Max The Demon Wolf, because all you did was say "hi, Alexa, it's me, Anthony." Lol, and how did you freaking skip ALL of my chapters except for the previous one? Are you crazy?! xD

Sorry about the large amount of Riku in this chapter, I just can't seem to leave him alone. Just consider it a development chapter :)

Well anyway, here it is! And we get a new Disney world to boot :D BTW, the name's in Latin. Go look it up.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

* * *

Somewhere in the deepest reaches of open space, the dead, empty void was pinpricked with the tiny white lights of distant, distant stars. For thousands and thousands of years this spot had remained exactly as it was now, unmoved by the silent, meaningless passing of time. No life, nor heat, nor even sound existed, but all at once that state was broken. A bright flash announced the arrival of a visitor, and if the universe had a consciousness of its own, it would have recognized it as little more than a tiny cell going about its business. The small craft appeared with a ghostly aura that faded as quickly as it had come, eventually decelerating from its journey through hyperspace and settling into a lazy drift.

The lone pilot, who had previously been eating a carton of assorted noodles, hurriedly placed the food on the floor and wiped his mouth with his arm. A small smile jumped to his lips as he looked up, probably expecting to see a familiar world on the other side of the windshield.

Unfortunately, that was not at all what he found.

The man started to his feet in an instant, his hands slamming on the dashboard as he stared through the windshield. In his mouth he uttered the short sound of frozen breath, lips slightly parted and eyes roving about in disbelief. He glanced down at the data on a small computer screen and then back up at the vicious maelstrom ripping through space in front of the ship.

But, the coordinates were right...so where was the...? "No...this can't be it," he murmured to himself, typing down some commands to bring up a local map of the area. There on the screen was his blinking indicator, positioned just a few hundred miles away from the name of a nearby world.

He stared up again, deep into the swirling, writhing mass of inky darkness that encompassed the once bright planet and made the gummiship rumble with the magnitude of its force. It was a long moment before the man snapped himself out of it, finally looking down at the control panel on the dash with fingers racing to activate the comm unit. The computer spat static at him before suddenly becoming quiet, and then the words CONNECTION LOST appeared on the screen, PLEASE REENTER PASSWORD.

The man growled and submitted the verification code, and then glared unblinkingly as the screen turned into a loading icon and informed him that it was reconnecting.

"C'mon you hunk of junk..." he muttered, fingers practically tapping dents into the dash.

He allowed himself to crash into the pilot's chair as the wait surpassed the first minute, one hand supporting his head while slowly massaging his scalp through a mess of thick black hair. Finally the screen blipped, and accompanied by a bit of interference was a voice.

"-Btttzzt- Zack, is that you? Why am I not getting a picture? Respond."

"I don't know, Leon. Something's making the signal go haywire," answered Zack with a shake of his head. "Anyway, it's not the most important thing right now."

"-Bizzzchhht- What is it? What did you find?" Leon voice was distorted, but he seemed to have picked up on the anxiety that had bled into Zack's voice.

"I don't know. It's big, it's black, and it's...MOVING." Zack's hand flew to his forehead. "Look, I just don't think-"

"-Moving? -bttzzzt- How so?"

"Huh? Oh..." muttered Zack absentmindedly. "It's going West- ah, starboard- I mean..." Zack sucked in through his teeth, annoyed. "It's traveling toward the L-560 quadrant, coordinates -559, 253, -45 on the Twilight Town Standard grid map. Exponential acceleration rate, but still moving slowly."

"That's incredible..." Leon was quiet for a stunned moment, then, "Zack, do you think your world is...?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying- this can't be my world, Leon!" exclaimed Zack, pounding his fist into the dashboard. "I think I would know what my own planet looks like."

More static. "Maybe, but what if the darkness has reached it somehow?"

Zack's head fell into his hand, eyes glowering at the coordinates being displayed on the screen. "But...what about...Cloud?" he said, despairingly. "We were supposed to find him here..."

"I...understand how you feel, Zack, but...it was only a guess."

The ex SOLDIER squeezed his eyes shut, heaving out a long, flooding sigh. Unmoving, he finally said, "So...now what?"

"Scout around for anything else like this," replied Leon. "Take pictures and report back."

Zack continued to pretend he was a statue.

To break up the dead air, Leon added, "I'm sorry, Zack. He may not have even appeared there at all. You can look for him while you're out there: we could use his help as well."

Zack sighed again. "Roger that," he murmured. "See you there."

With the touch of a button he severed the connection and began strapping himself in again. Firing up the engines, Zack slowly examined the nightmarish storm of darkness from every angle, snapping photos along the way, but no viewpoint he chose provided him with any answers or revealed any kind of weak point. Eventually, after several failed attempts to get close or blast through the veil of darkness, Zack ended up falling back into his seat in exhaustion and closing his eyes for a moment of rest. The vicious black sphere tumbled forward with a patient stride, moving ever closer to Zack's gummiship.

The man observed it with deep, worried eyes, attempting to rub away the chill on his left arm with his other hand. "Cloud..." he muttered to himself, quietly. "Where are you?"

Finally, forced to acknowledge the danger of the thing's gravitational pull, Zack steered away. He watched the rearview display fixedly, and as more and more distance separated him from the writhing ball of sludge, Zack couldn't help but feel like he was leaving someone close to him behind.

* * *

Riku's heart beat fast with the rush of the fight, in synch with his staccato footsteps. He let his legs propel him as quickly as they were able, dashing headlong into another group of heartless with his Keyblade flaring out behind him like the wings which the weapon depicted. Without hesitation Riku launched himself into them, using the sheer force of his speed to drive his razor sharp Keyblade right through their bodies.

A demonic Neo Shadow rose from the ground within inches on his face. Riku acted on reflex to kick it right up its jaw, destroying it in mid air as he transferred his momentum into a backflip. He landed on an unsuspecting Shadow, turning the creature into a piece of shish-kebob before translating smoothly into a spin and striking an Armored Knight. The humanoid heartless deflected his attack with its shield, however, but Riku kept his rhythm alive by switching to backhand and smacking it into the ground with an aerial twirl.

He stood to his full height as the heartless vanished into a puff of smoke around him, glancing over at Sora who was currently a hundred feet away. The younger boy slid into another heartless with his feet extended, knocking it high into the air and following up with an uppercut. His face, like Riku's, was flushed with the effort of constant movement, shining beads of sweat forming along his skin.

"Running on empty?" inquired a girl's voice mockingly.

Riku gazed up to the training room's main control station, where Skyra sat behind a panel of curved glass with her fingers dancing along the keys of the master computer.

"Keep 'em coming," yelled Riku as he dashed off again. "I'm not out yet!"

As if in immediate response, a party of Artful Flyers spawned in a flash of ones and zeros, and Riku smirked as two of them made a bloodthirsty dash right at him. He dove to his right to evade their advance, kicking off a nearby wall and launching himself into a screwdriver maneuver that had taken him months to perfect. He succeeded in blasting several heartless out of his path, while another was nailed right in the chest and received the full brunt of his attack. He finished it off with blow that crushed it into the ground, and then incinerated several more by shooting orbs of dark flame from his hand.

A series of crisp "ding!"s struck the air with each heartless destroyed. Up above, protected by a barrier of spherical glass, four massive television screens displayed a set of names and numbers, recording each person's score in real time. An ambient voice announced names whenever one of them took the lead, which was often, so that the players did not have to constantly glance up all the time.

Donald jumped back in surprise as the heartless in front of him caught fire, then he regained his bearings and shook his fist in the air. "Hey! Get your own, Riku!"

Riku glanced back before chuckling apologetically. Donald was not amused.

Despite the competitive banter being tossed about the room, the mentality behind this training session was quite the opposite in nature. They were here to get better, to keep themselves on their toes. No one had played in the arcade since they had come back, or immersed themselves in virtually any kind of enjoyable pastime. Skyra had refused to come out of her room for the whole first day, and now that she had finally come back out, all they felt that they _should_ do was train.

Train.

Train.

Train some more, as if it would make up for all the people that had died that day.

The training room's interior was large and expansive; white neon lights drew a grid pattern along the deep blue that comprised the floor, walls, and ceiling, and with the touch of a button Skyra could change the elevation of any part of it, even down to the detail of a square centimeter. The constantly shifting environment along with the steady stream of enemies provided the four with a perfect workout to push the limits of their speed and endurance to the edge.

It had been a day and two nights since the group departed from Radiant Garden, and this was the first time since then that Riku finally felt that he could smile for real. The death and destruction that had been wreaked on Radiant Garden left him moodier than usual, and, indeed, had caused them all new anxiety. But finally he had a chance to immerse himself in the gestalt of total physical exertion, to let all his thoughts wash away in the floods of fatigue and the satisfaction he felt each time his blade dug into a heartless's flesh.

Nothing mattered now; nothing else existed beyond their little world. Riku could revel in the force of his labored breaths, in the pattern he felt in the jolt of each footstep, and in the-

-he opened his eyes, and something slammed into him. So hard, in fact that he was knocked completely backward with about the same power as an exploding freight train.

Riku skidded to a halt, and whatever had hit him came along for the ride, too, crushing his body into the floor and eventually bouncing off his chest and landing nearby.

Riku groaned and blinked away the fuzzy blotches in his vision, taking a minute to regain his senses before sitting up. What he found, lying next to him, was...

"Sora?"

Riku said it half like a question, half like an accusation.

The mess of limbs shifted slightly. "...Huh...?" Sora winced in pain, holding his head as he rose slowly to his knees. "Oh, sorry, Riku- haha!"

The silver-haired teen raised an eyebrow and rubbed the back of his cranium. "Is that really all you have to say for yourself?" he sighed.

Suddenly a crisp "ding!" sounded off from somewhere, and the two looked up to the ceiling to see that Sora's score had increased by one point.

"What?" shouted Riku. "What the hell is _that_ supposed to mean?!"

Skyra shrugged behind the control panel. Her face was too far away to see very well, but Riku knew she was smiling that small, evil little smile of hers. An instant later, the floor panels beneath him lurched and shot up into the air, sending him flying as well. He swallowed a gasp, the sudden motion tickling his insides before he was forced off the platform and into a tumbling free fall. Riku quickly began gathering his bearings again, and as he did so, heard Sora get up and shout, "Free - for - all!"

He rolled his eyes as he fell.

... Okay, so maybe they were messing around a little bit. The lighthearted sensation sat strangely with him, but it was extremely infectious nonetheless. Just a few days after a massacre and here they were, laughing. He wondered of that was right, or if maybe it was just a way for them to blow off some steam. Either way, thinking about it was getting him nothing but a pulsing headache, so he dismissed the subject and told himself to quit worrying about it.

_Stop thinking, just fight..._

He decapitated an aquatic Screwdiver and then moved onto the next one. Sections of the floor shot to the ceiling in his path; he weaved around them fluidly.

_...just fight..._

Soon Riku's mind began to drift serenely, settling in a half detached sort way, while part of him seemed to just watch as his body almost moved through the dance of battle on its own - a product of a childhood nurtured with swordplay, and over a year's worth of nightmarish experience. Their scoreboards kept climbing, racking up into the hundreds, then two-hundreds, then three.

As the numbers climbed, their game intensified. Riku found himself pushing to slay more fabricated heartless, and Sora, Donald, and Goofy worked harder to keep their scores up there with him. Donald and Goofy turned out to be quite the tag team, while the two Keyblade wielders moved separately.

Riku eliminated a score of smaller heartless while simultaneously stabbing away at a larger one's health, and Sora drew nearby enemies into reach by casting a Zero Gravitra spell. Riku pounced on his foes with Dark Break, and Sora annihilated a whole group of them with his Zantetzuken attack. They were all engaged in the competition now, not just distracting themselves with it.

The floor began oscillating in tricky waves, giant serpents beneath their feet, while sections of the wall rippled towards them to make even running around a challenge. Their muscles burned as they jumped, and sometimes a few of them would get knocked away by the moving barriers. But all four of them pressed on towards the center of the room, where the final swarm of heartless lay in wait - enough to make or break either of their scores.

Sora planned his movements with careful timing, waiting till the precise moment when the floor began to roll underneath him and then leaping forward just before it peaked to get maximum distance. Riku flipped onto one of the extensions of the wall and ran along it's shifting horizontal surface - another obstacle course in itself, but at least it was a level one. Donald hopped onto Goofy's shield, and the knight used the waves to ascend high into the air. At the moment when he could go no higher, Goofy flung his shield like a frisbee, sending Donald spinning across the room with it.

Riku stared as Donald flew past, then smirked and picked up the pace._ There is no way I'm losing to that duck,_ he thought to himself.

The platforms in front of him suddenly changed in size and frequency. They popped in and out of the wall at seemingly random speeds and intervals, and Skyra further complicated his path by sending pillars of various sizes crashing down from the ceiling.

A huge piece of the wall shot out at waist level, and Riku banished his keyblade and then slid feet first under it. He kept his speed as he came up, leaping along a row of thin platforms before an entire chunk jumped out in front of him - too large to vault over. Gathering his momentum, Riku sprinted up its surface as fast as an arrow, slowly losing speed as giant fists punched out of the wall behind him.

At the moment when they would have caught up and knocked him silly halfway across the room, Riku put all he had into backwards somersault and soared clear away from the danger, alighting on another slender extension not far away. That one slipped back into the wall as well, depositing him onto another platform underneath it. Suddenly two more offered themselves up in front of him, while several pillars pounded up and down from the ceiling like massive hammers, making him think twice about jumping too soon. One of the horizontal platforms disappeared back into the wall, and, seizing his only remaining option, Riku waited for an opening before leaping onto the last one. _Hey,_ he thought as he jumped,_ Skyra won't let me fall, right?_

His eyes widened with realization as he landed on the platform. "Oh shoot."

With his track record, she just might.

Riku wasted no time in bounding away just as soon as he physically could.

One or two increasingly difficult acrobatic escapades later, Riku found that he was standing about eighty feet above the goal zone, where Donald was drunkenly casting spells (still quite dizzy from his experience of becoming a living frisbee), and Sora was just about ready to join him. Left with no other option, Riku decided to let gravity take him there, and dove off the edge.

Riku felt the wind smacking his face as he fell, blinding him and causing him to squint through a few forced tears. The ground rushed up at him, littered with blurry figures. He streamlined his body so that he met less air resistance, and then flipped in preparation to crush one of the heartless beneath him. The beast never knew what hit it, and now that he and Sora had made it past the wave pool floor, the final round of battle royal was ready to commence.

Dozens of heartless of all sizes swarmed around them, eager to confound and wear down their opponents. Goofy joined in soon afterwards, and soon, one by one, scores of pink, faceted hearts began to rise into the ceiling like glittering, digital diamonds. Riku reveled in the sharpness of each slice, in the feel of his blade as it ripped through tough armor and flesh. His movements gradually slowed as his arms burned with exhaustion, but even then Riku found joy in the exercise, in the precision of it all. There was no room for wasted movement here: every strike counted, and his ragged breathing reminded him that his strength was waning thin.

Meanwhile, in the control room, two girls and a dragon observed the training session taking place in front of them. One of the girls, Skyra, used a command board to select preset options for tile movement and then directed them by simply touching a holographic rendering of the training room. The hologram was being projected from four points on a neatly curved command station, and could be expanded into a giant glowing cube several feet in diameter for maximum detail. Within the cube were small figures of different colors, miniature representations of Sora, Riku, Donald, and Goofy, all moving in real time with their actual counterparts. Here, the heartless were also displayed, in black, and the movements of the walls monitored.

Skyra had gotten much better at using the controls to create an ever-changing environment within the training room, but even still, her strokes carried the slight hesitation of thoughtfulness that double checked every decision that was made.

Standing a few feet away from Skyra was Kairi who watched the action through the thick glass window that divided them safely from the others. She was engrossed in the fight, contemplative eyes absorbing the various styles and abilities used by each combatant, analyzing each forceful stroke and youthful flourish of steel.

"Whoah..." muttered Kairi in awe. "They're really good." Then, with scrunched eyebrows she added, "I have so much to learn..."

There was a fluttering of wings, and Kairi felt a sensation like prickling needles as Ardeo crawled up her shirt and appeared on her shoulder. The dragon flared his wings, tail whipping about as he let out an ecstatic cry, apparently enjoying the battle. Kairi chuckled and tentatively lifted a finger to scratch his head, and was rewarded when the dragon tilted his head and leaned into it, warbling softly with pleasure.

Eventually the quantity of remaining heartless dwindled, and the scoreboards racked up their final tallies. The four combatants stood equally beaten and battered, each happy to finish off their last heartless. Riku scanned the other three weary fighters for a moment, and scarcely had his keyblade delivered the fatal blow to an armored Zip Slasher when he noticed, out of the corner of his eye, one sole heartless drifting away on its own.

It was the last one remaining, and it was his.

Riku did not even glance at the scoreboards to see where he placed, he just couldn't care less. Lip stretching into a predatorial grin, Riku set off towards it, closing the distance in a single leap. The moment his feet touched the ground again, the floor around him shot straight up in a circle, enclosing him along with the heartless.

The creature, an Aerial Flyer, twirled and waved it's arms spastically, summoning a gang of supporting Watchers to fight alongside it. Riku smiled though his mouth hung slightly open, panting, and with arm gently trembling he lifted Way to Dawn into its familiar position.

The heartless sent it's companions rushing at him, and in a flash the battle began. Riku hacked and slashed like never before, his legs becoming slow and jellylike the more he evaded their attacks. Their squall took them higher as the heartless hovered up through the enclosed space, and Riku gave chase by jumping off the walls and using their bodies as platforms. His energy was draining but he smirked anyway; his Limit Break was ready.

Suddenly his keyblade glowed with silver fire, shimmering like a cloud of blazing mist and growing twice it's size. Riku's eyes took on the same light as he darted through the air at an unimaginable speed, assaulting the heartless from every possible angle with a series of aerial lunges designed to rip them to shreds. He destroyed about a dozen Watchers before the Aerial Flyer ascended with it's remaining buddies, and Riku followed them up to where the walls gave way to open air, determined to use up every ounce he had in him. He sent a slice of shimmering gossamer rippling into the rising heartless, causing them to recoil from the sheer force of the light. He was not finished, however, and as the heartless recovered Riku unleashed all of his magical energy, huge gouts of smoky, purple flame erupting from his body. They hungrily sought out prey, expanding in front of him in sharp, scorching tongues.

The heartless screamed out in silent agony, their bodies twisting and contorting in pain as the explosion of dark fire mercilessly consumed them.

Riku watched as he fell, the blast of heat stinging his face and making his hair whip around, the roar of the flames impossibly loud in his ears. The waves of deep violet and cerulean rushed like a flowing river, and through them glowed the scattered pinpricks of the pink crystalline hearts as they rose up and up.

An odd thought struck Riku on his way down, just that, somehow, all of that destruction looked kind of...beautiful.

He relaxed his body, head tilting back as he flipped in the air and righted himself the moment before he touched down. He took a moment to stand back up again; his leg muscles were numb and weak, and they burned as he forced them to work, but he managed it and soon enough he was able to look around and see that he now stood atop a tall platform which stretched like a pedestal from the ground. Riku gazed up vaguely and notice that his score was several points ahead of the others', but then suddenly reality interrupted his hazy mind in a flood of discordant sounds. Like the blaring of horns and alarms the voices below drew his attention.

They were running towards something, Kairi, too, with Skyra behind her. Curious, Riku squinted before stepping over the edge and plummeting to meet the ground with wobbly legs. He made his way over to them in a steady jog, but as he neared he realized something- the thing they were all crowding around was...Goofy?

The knight was yelling in that strange "yaaahoo-hoo-hoo!" sort of way, like Riku had seen him do before, and for some reason he waved his shield arm around like he was trying to tear it off before stumbling to the ground in a smoking mess.

_Wait, smoking?_ Riku's mind was too muddled to understand. _How did that...?_

Something in Riku's body went stiff when he reached them and saw Goofy lying on the floor, tossing and flailing out his arms so much that it took the combined efforts of everyone else to hold him down. Riku could see now the tightness of his jaw, the tears of agony forming behind his eyelids. Worst of all was the sickening, bubbled texture of exposed skin where something had burned him, had literally cooked the raw flesh until it sizzled. Evidence of this was found in several places: a patch on his right leg, a strip wrapping around his side, and on the knuckle of his right arm, all surrounded by clothing that was singed black.

Riku's eyes drew a line from Goofy's burned hand to the discarded shield lying many yards away, it's surface glowing a soft red and making the air around it dance as it radiated extreme heat. That was why Goofy had flung his arm about so violently, because the superhot metal of the shield had eaten through his glove in less than an instant.

Riku looked back to Goofy and noticed that Donald had conjured up several ice cubes above the night's squirming body, each with it's own flame to melt it into a steady trickle that fell upon its respective wounds. The skin was so hot, almost melting, that the water sputtered and steamed as it first ran off the afflicted area. Goofy twitched as the icy water touched his skin, and then relaxed with relief cresting his eyebrows.

Donald did a quick check of his friend's vital signs, ignoring Ardeo who crept along the knight's body spitting some type of odd fluid on the burned areas, and everyone else simply gazed on in concern. When the duck had finished he rose to his feet. He and all the others just stared at Goofy for what seemed like an eternity of long, uncertain seconds.

And then finally Donald clenched his fists.

"Rrrgh! Whats the big idea, eh?" he demanded, turning on Riku."Look what you've done, you big palooka!"

"What...?" murmured Riku in confusion, then blinked. Through the lassitude and the fogginess of his mind Riku finally made the connection. Realization dawned slowly on his face. He couldn't have... Had he...?

Donald's eyes blazed into him, fuming like a bursting geyser. "Can't you even control your own magic?!"

... Yes, he had.

Suddenly Riku felt unbearably hot. He swallowed between shallow breaths, his mouth dry and scratchy. A disgustingly sour taste overcame his tongue, and he had to fight back a flood of bile rising in his throat. His body was so exhausted, so heavy, and now this... Something in his stomach twisted and he felt he was going to be sick. He blinked, a bout of black-spotted dizziness assaulting him.

_No. Oh, no..._

Sora watched as Riku swayed on the spot, noticing how pale his face had become. The Keybearer jumped to his feet and gingerly grabbed his friend's arm and shoulder to steady him.

"Hey!" snapped Donald, tapping his webbed foot impatiently. "Answer me before I make you!" He conjured up a ball of flame that smoldered hotly around the tip of his mage's staff. "Maybe we should see how _you_ like being set on fire!"

"Donald-" said Kairi, but she was largely ignored.

Riku recovered somewhat from his daze, but all he seemed able to do was hang his head, bright teal eyes darting around the floor as if searching for an answer. Once or twice it seemed that he would speak, but the words were deflated before they even reached his lips, slipping away like scattered fireflies escaping into the night.

It seemed the longer he took to answer, the more irate Donald became, and soon the duck was rolling up his sleeves, face turning a boiling red as he worked himself up into a fury. "Why I oughta...!" he mumbled to himself, the fireball on his staff tripling in size. He looked to be only a few moments from releasing it on someone.

Sora watched Riku struggle to respond and then glanced up, eyes flashing. "Stop it, Donald! Riku didn't mean to do it - it wasn't his fault, okay?"

Donald turned his glare on Sora, a dark scowl forming on his lips. "So what? He should own up to what he did!"

"What's more important, Donald," asked Sora, "helping Goofy, or pinning the blame on someone else?"

His words seemed to strike a chord in Donald, and some of the fumes radiating from his head settled down slightly.

"Sora..." trailed Riku.

"No! No one's blaming anyone!" insisted Sora adamantly. "There's no point in getting worked up over a simple accident...we're better than that! Remember what Mickey said? This is exactly the kind of thing Xemnas could use against us." Sora swallowed at those last words, blinking several times and adding, "Is that what you want?"

No one spoke. Skyra watched soberly with arms crossed. Kairi looked on in worry.

"... No..." murmured Donald finally, now staring at the floor.

"Then it's settled," said Sora. "Let's just focus on helping Goofy."

Donald sighed heavily. "Alright." Kairi and Skyra maneuvered Goofy around so that they could pick him up between their shoulders, and without a word the group set off to find an infirmary.

* * *

_"...iku.."_

_Nothing._

_"...Riku..."_

_Still no response._

_"...Riku? Hey, Riku, are you alright?"_

_Sora placed a hand on his shoulder, snapping him out of his trance._

_He blinked, only now realizing that he had been zoning out, eyes locked onto a space in the wall a few feet from Goofy's bed. To his side, Riku numbly registered Sora's face staring at him, the younger boy's eyes laced with concern._

_"Oh...yeah...I'm fine, Sora..."_

_Sora watched as Riku massaged the bridge of his nose, looking a little disappointed at his friend's halfhearted words. "Hey, stop beating yourself up about it, Riku. It wasn't your fault. It was just an accident, okay?"_

_Riku glanced again at Sora and then dropped his gaze. Was it really? He wasn't so sure he knew..._

_"He's gonna be fine," continued Sora in his usual confidence. "We'll wait until he's up again before checking out the next world. I mean, I know Mickey wanted us to hurry and all, but it's okay if we miss another day or so..." Sora shifted in his chair so that his hands linked together and cradled the back of his head. "And besides, his wounds aren't so bad anymore, thanks to Donald. Goofy'll be back at one hundred percent before you know it."_

_Riku only grunted softly and observed the knight's unconscious form. Somehow, he couldn't bring himself to share some of Sora's optimism..._

* * *

The growl of the Cygnus's engines was audible from within the dark room, a steady thrum which was easily ignored during the day, humming just below one's usual grasp of perception. Here it could be felt in the walls and in the floor, a gentle vibration that might have once lulled Riku to sleep. Pale beams of artificial moonlight spilled in from behind the slanted blinds, the sole provider of illumination in the silky blackness. Partially masking the distant sound of the engines was the familiar symphony of cricket song being projected from somewhere in the room, probably meant to remind him of the islands.

Most of the evening had been passed in absentmindedness. Dinner had been consumed in mostly silence, with snatches of conversation about random topics, and once Goofy was confirmed to be stable and only required more sleep, the rest of the gang had gone to bed at their respective conveniences.

But despite the engine's hum and the moon's fake silver and the chirping crickets, Riku remained awake, staring straight up at the ceiling. It seemed that, despite the room's comforts, something had been denying him sleep.

This sleepless night was only one of many, and yet, no matter what technique he tried, Riku could not coax his mind to settle into a thoughtless serenity. His brain was like a broken record. It kept replaying things. Old things. Things he thought he had forgotten. Over and over it went, and even when a few hunger pangs let him know it was well past 1:00 in the morning, Riku's eyelids had still not fallen.

Eventually he started having conversations with himself, in his mind. It was a little game he sometimes played, where half of him would try to plead innocent while the other half used scathing words to beat him over the side of the head.

_I didn't mean to do it_, he offered. _It was an accident..._

_Story of your life, hmm? Funny how all your "accidents" keep turning into other people's problems._

Riku blinked several times.

_I thought I had the darkness under control. It hasn't bothered me in a long time..._

_Yeah, because we both know all the good DARKNESS has done. You could have KILLED him!_

A flash of memory cut through his vision, a picture of Goofy's deformed, sizzling skin after it had been touched by dark flame.

Riku squirmed and rolled over, half burying his face in the covers.

_I...I just... I wasn't paying attention..._, he thought, weakly.

_You're right, you WEREN'T paying attention, hissed the voice. You seem to be doing that a lot, huh, Riku?_

That struck him like a knife and he flinched. He recalled his negligence in the matter of allowing Kairi to come, that he hand't even given it a second thought. With a gradual exhale he relaxed his muscles and squeezed his eyes shut in defeat. He had lost.

He always lost.

His freedom from guilt had only been an illusion, the thought bitterly, and it almost took the death of a friend for him to see it.

The thoughts blent together until time practically seemed irrelevant to him, and after about another restless half hour spent chasing daydreams, Riku finally decided to just get up and go for a walk.

The cold metallic walls echoed softly with his footsteps, speaking in hushed whispers like a gossiping crowd flaring up as an unwelcome peer passes through. The hallway was fairly dark, only illuminated by a dim strip of light running down the center of the ceiling. The mute hum that always resulted when traveling through the vacuum of space numbed his ears and mind, although he hardly noticed it anymore. With downcast eyes Riku walked, thumbs stuck in his pockets, entertaining the notion of just getting lost amongst the crisscrossing hallways.

There he meandered without destination for good while, until, arousing himself from his thoughts Riku realized that he had subconsciously chosen to take a path which lead to the infirmary, where Goofy now slept. When he tried he thought he could recall the idea popping up earlier without him actually thinking about it. He stopped in his tracks suddenly, lifting his eyes to stare down the silent, still corridor.

The emptiness settled comfortably around him, seeming to stare right back. Finally, not knowing what he would find, Riku made up his mind, and began to walk once again.

Riku's eyes wandered in the dim hallway, only coming to focus when, like a ghost, the rectangular form of the window appeared on the left wall. He observed its contours as he came steadily closer, but kept his gaze straight until the window was right next to him and he dragged his eyes over to look through it. The room on the other side was extremely lurid, and it would have been impossible to see it's features were it not for a small lamp casting soft orange highlights from a table near the bed. Slouched onto the small table was Donald, who slept soundly with mage staff held loosely in hand.

This captured Riku's attention for a moment, and he mused on this new side of Donald's character. Out of all the dirty looks, temper tantrums, and general bullheadedness, Riku never would have taken Donald to be so..._caring._

It seemed that the duck was not as edgy and crass as he had originally thought.

_"Sora never did pick the brightest of friends..."_

Riku recalled his own words, his eyes tracing over the sleeping friends once again. "I never did mean it entirely, but..." he smirked halfheartedly, "...I think I'm starting to get you guys a bit."

And what was more, Riku also realized something else: he was exactly like Donald, in a way. He observed Goofy's comatose state, taking in the blank, serene expression on his face.

And, for a second, Goofy seemed to transform, becoming shorter and more human, until he looked just like Sora. Following him, Donald changed shape as well, growing long silver hair and a black coat.

It was himself, Riku, dressed just like he had been not more than half a year ago, when Sora still slept.

The heaviness that had been his constant companion during those times, the terrible longing that had both eaten away at him and had also become one of his sole motivators... Day by day spent checking in on a body that hadn't shown any signs of life- hadn't even twitched- for months at a time...

He had been in the exact same boat that Donald was in now.

Riku leaned forward, setting his forehead up against the glass window and staring at some space between there and the floor. "I can identify," he said. "Heh, no wonder he was so angry..."

He blinked, eyes stinging with dryness as an endless, bleak exhaustion seeped deep into his bones. Every part of him was weak and sore from the killer training session that morning, and besides, he couldn't imagine what in the world he would do if he had to stay awake any longer.

Riku exhaled audibly as he sunk to the ground, like some otherworldly force were crushing him, pushing his body down. He didn't move, back resting against the wall, arms slung over bent knees. He felt as if he were shackled to the floor. Finally, Riku brought in his legs, drawing them close with his arms until they were hugged against is chest. Then he dropped his head into them. His feet slid forward slightly on the smooth tile, and the last thing Riku remembered was the floor between his legs before he plummeted into a deep, troubled sleep.

* * *

...

Skyra kicked Riku.

In the thigh.

The sound of boots smacking his jeans echoed like a crisp gunshot through the hallway. Unfortunately, though, he did not respond. At all. Apparently he was under so deep that he had not even twitched.

Skyra rolled her eyes to the ceiling and let out a deep sigh, closing her eyes in annoyance. She uncrossed her arms and knelt down, lifting a hand to gently nudge Riku's shoulder. "Hey, wake up," she said.

A few moments of this finally yealded a response from Riku. "Mmm...?" he grunted, locks of hair shifting as he sluggishly moved his head.

"Come on, get up," coaxed Skyra patiently.

Suddenly Riku awoke with a start, his body jolting in surprise as he sucked in a deep breath. "Huh? What?" he sputtered, seeing Skyra and falling over in the other direction.

The girl's eyes followed him, eyebrows contracting as he fell to the floor. Her hand was still held frozen in place. She blinked twice. "Do you do that all the time or something?" she asked.

"Huh?" Riku picked himself up again, groaning as he slowly massaged the back of his neck. He took a long moment to rub his heavy eyes, apparently having calmed down already. "Oh, yeah, kind of," he mumbled. "Sora does that, too, sometimes..." Riku glanced up at her with drooping eyelids, smirking queerly. "So what was that all about?"

"I don't know," said Skyra, looking to the side as she stood up and scratched the back of her neck. "I guess I was just trying to be...gentle..."

"Gentle?" Riku gave her a funny look. "Since freaking when?!"

Skyra quirked her eyebrows and turned her head to the side. "Anyway," she said dismissively, "I just thought you'd want to see this."

Riku grunted questioningly before dragging himself to his feet, then winced. "Ah...jeez, why does my leg hurt?"

"Beats me."

After giving his sore thigh a brief massage, Riku stood to his full height, at least in a slouch, and realized that the rest of him hurt just as bad anyway. He blinked away the tiredness and glanced at Skyra, following her gaze through the window.

Riku's eyes widened an his breath caught at what he saw. He dashed to the door on his right, swinging it open but not stepping in entirely, his eyes locked onto something in the room. "Goofy?" he addressed, quietly.

The room was now well-illuminated by a second lamp hangind from the wall near Goofy, the air feeling warm and cozy, and less like a hospital room with the soft orange-painted walls. The knight was sitting up in his bed, quite awake and using the bedside lamp to read a book that he must have found on one of the shelves. Goofy looked up and smiled warmly. "Ahyuck! Good mornin', Riku. How ya doin'?"

"Uh...fine..." responded Riku without taking his eyes away. "... How are you? Feeling okay?"

Goofy closed the book before replying. "Yup! Never felt better!" He gave another spirited grin before titling his head sideways and rubbing his skull. "Although...I can't seem to remember a whole lot right now... Hrm..."

Riku put on a face like he was contemplating the news before he finally left the door behind and walked up to Goofy'e bedside. "You mean...you don't know how you got here?"

"Guess not," replied Goofy, shrugging. "Say, Riku, can you tell me what happened?"

Riku blinked, hesitating. He lowered his eyes, closing them for a moment and taking a quick breath before speaking. "Well, we...we were in the training room yesterday, remember?"

Goofy nodded slowly.

"And...it was towards the end of the fight that you got...burned... Really badly."

"Is that what that was?" Goofy held his head with both hands. "Gosh, it musta' been so painful that I forgot about it!"

Riku averted his gaze.

"See?" said Goofy, brandishing his injured arm. "When I woke up, I noticed that my sleeve was damaged, but there was nothing wrong with me."

Confused, Riku looked closely at Goofy's arm, and almost gasped at what he saw. "Goofy, you arm! It's healed," he said in wonder. He reached out and gingerly grabbed the appendage, his eyes focusing on what was, indeed, nearly perfect skin. There was no longer any inflammation or peeling layers of black, charred flesh, but instead a new sheet of young, pink skin. Even though there was some slight scarring, fine pinpricks of black fur could be seen growing in to fill in the blank spot.

"Uh-huh!" chuckled Goofy. "It sounds like you guys did a good job takin' care of me, ahyuck!"

"Yeah..." Riku glanced over to where Donald was still snoring softly on the table, thinking of all the magic he had used up, as well as whatever Ardeo had been doing. "But..." started Riku, "Goofy...that's still not...everything."

"Hmm? Well, what else is there?"

Riku inclined his head so he could get a better view of the ground, but his eyes seemed to stick that way and he was unable to look back up. "Goofy...it was my fault you got burned. I was the one who cast the spell. I used my dark fire, and...it got so big that it must have slipped past me and...hit you." Riku's hand clenched and unclenched, and he let his shoulders droop. "...I'm sorry."

Riku wondered for a second how Goofy had reacted, but he still held his eyes to the side so he could not see, and before he realized what was happening he found himself being pulled down into a warm, fuzzy hug. "Aw, that's okay, Riku," he heard Goofy say. "It was just an accident; I can forgive ya!"

Riku stared straight ahead, his arms stuck in an odd position that prevented him from moving them. "But," he protested, "if it wasn't for your shield, I could have killed you..."

Goofy chuckled, a deep, jolly sound. "Yeah, but everything still turned out alright! This isn't the first time I've almost died, ya know."

Goofy let Riku go, but the teen just continued to stare silently at the floor. 'It can't be that simple', he wanted to say. He wanted to ask how you could just forgive something so serious so easily, wanted to tell him that was...that was crazy. Most of all, he wanted to tell Goofy that he didn't deserve it.

His thoughts continued to swirl in a sea of turmoil that was only suppressed when a large, gloved hand clasped his shoulder weightily, temporarily distracting him. Riku's eyes flicked up briefly, followed by a quick grunt of bittersweet humor. "It makes sense that you'd be Sora's friend," he told the floor, "You're too good."

Goofy tilted his head to examine Riku, who kept his gaze still and blocked by his long bangs, as if Goofy were something too guileless and innocent for him to look upon. He let a few seconds pass to gather up his thoughts. "Listen, Riku," said Goofy with worried eyes, "I know you've been through a lot an' all...but, garsh, don't flatter yourself with all this...!"

"Flatter myself...?" parroted Riku, finally lifting up his eyes.

"Yeah," affirmed Goofy. "Ya done a lot o' things in the past - I won't deny that. But, your not the only one who's got things weighin' down on 'em, you know. Here, sit down for a sec." Goofy motioned for Riku to sit on the smooth white comforter near his legs. The boy complied, feeling his weight settle on the mattress underneath him. He gave his full attention to Goofy.

"Ya know, Riku," began Goofy, "you got a lot of really admirable things about ya. You're cool and collected under pressure, and you're really talented, too!" Goofy chuckled. "You remind me a lot of my son, Max."

His words had an immediate effect on Riku. "Whoa, wait," he interrupted suddenly, "you have a _son_?!"

"Ahyuck-hyuck!" laughed Goofy. "Yup, my Maxie... He's about the same age you are - no, wait, he's actually a couple a years older... Max is away at college right now, ya see; he's a real pro with his skateboard, ahyuck!" Goofy stifled another chuckle as Riku continued to regard him with new interest. "Well, he's a chip off the old block for sure, but there's a piece of his mother in 'im that never left..."

"His mom?" thought Riku aloud. "What about her?"

Goofy gave a soft, thoughtful hum and shifted his steady gaze to a spot on the bed. "Well, I'd rather not give all the details, but ah...it seemed it was...way too soon before she died. Poor Maxie wasn't much older than eleven."

Riku watched with lips slightly parted, his words seeming to fail him as Goofy bit back a longing look. "I had no idea..." was all he could say.

"At first it seemed like we weren't going to make it after she left. Max became more serious after that, and between havin' to deal with my own self and workin' hard enough to keep us afloat, I don't think I spent enough time helping him out," said Goofy with a sigh. "Shucks, he was even embarrassed of me for a while. But, at least I got to know him better before he got too old - an' he's just as clumsy as me sometimes." Goofy chortled deep in his throat. "Same laugh, too."

"I see," said Riku with a half smile. "And he must be one of the reasons you're fighting out here, huh?"

"You betcha," corroborated Goofy. "Still, sometimes I even doubt that it's worth it, if you can believe me."

Riku knitted his eyebrows together, perplexed. "What do you mean?"

"Well, on one hand, I wanna help out King Mickey and you guys as much as I can - an' I can't imagine leaving Donald here by himself, either." Goofy rubbed his head, a troubled expression forming on his face. "But, when I think about it the other way around, if I don't come back, Max'll be all alone. An' it's not like I'm half as good of a fighter as you or Sora. D'ya see what I'm gettin' at?"

Riku's mind buzzed with the new information. He wondered at how such a simple, uncoordinated, and generally optimistic person had been so afflicted in life. All the sorrows, pressures, and dilemmas... It seemed he was learning more about Goofy in five minutes than he had learned of him in a whole month of adventures.

He rubbed his temple with one hand, feeling slightly overwhelmed. _Our circumstances might be different, but he's had all these problems with him for most of his life_, thought Riku to himself. And it didn't help that he had nearly orphaned Max earlier that day.

"Yeah..." answered Riku simply.

Goofy let out a small chortle. "But don't worry - we'll figure things out, Riku. I'm sure of it!"

_From zero to sixty just like that_, thought Riku as a short, laughing breath burst from his chest. "You guys are crazy," he remarked witheringly under his breath. Where do he and Sora get their confidence from? he wondered.

When Goofy gave him a questioning glance, Riku just snickered and said, "Nothing."

It was at that point that the sound of rapid footsteps broke into their conversation, and Riku and Goofy both looked up at the door in time to see a slightly disheveled Sora burst into the room. His features lite up like a flare when he saw Goofy and Riku; Ardeo darted in through the door with a shrill cry of delight.

"Riku, Goofy!" greeted Sora, skidding to a halt in front of them. "Hey, is everything alright?" He seemed mostly concerned about Goofy, although his deep sapphire eyes flicked to Riku for a moment. Riku responded with as casual a grin as he could manage, which seemed to reassure Sora.

"Yup," grinned Goofy. "I'm feeln' better already, thanks to you guys, ahyuck!" He rose from his bed to show his improved condition, pulling out his huge, floppy feet and standing up at his full height. "Riku here told me everything. Sorry fer makin' you guys worry about me."

"Oh," said Sora with another quick glance to Riku, "No, it's fine; I'm just glad you're okay now, Goofy." Sora laughed a little bit and scratched the back of his head. "Anyway, I just came to get you guys 'cause we just arrived at the next world a few minutes ago. Everyone's waiting to leave once you're ready."

Riku got up from the infirmary bed with an amused smile forming on his lips. "Uhhh, that might be a problem..." he divulged.

Sora and Goofy followed his gaze to where Donald lay drooling on the table and mumbling unintelligible utterances; Goofy giggled behind one gloved hand. The magician continued to snooze while Sora crept slowly closer, arms bent and grinning mischievously.

Riku watched Sora with a skeptical eye, curious as to what he planned to do. The Keyblade Wielder tiptoed until his face was level with Donald's and only a few inches away, and he suppressed a giggle.

The other two took a synchronized step backward just as Sora inhaled deeply, finally realizing exactly what he planned to do. Ardeo tilted his tiny head and let out a throaty murmur.

Silence...and then...

"DONAAAAAAAALLD!"

* * *

The party was well received as they entered the semicircular cockpit. Sora announced their arrival in laughter as Donald repeatedly beat him with his mage's staff, grumbling irritably about being so rudely awakened. The duck would have continued to pummel the boy until he turned blue if it were not for Goofy's warm presence, which seemed to dilute his friend's short temper, if only marginally.

Kairi trotted up to meet them with a grin, and they all said their good mornings. Goofy showed off his newly healed wounds to them, bringing an expression of relief to Kairi's face and one of pride to Donald's.

Ardeo was a flashing blur of green as he flitted over to Skyra's shoulder, playing with her ponytail while she imported coordinates into the computer's memory. She finished soon enough and strode over to the others, tossing Riku a small sandwich wrapped in plastic. "Breakfast on the go," she said, and Riku, only just now realizing how famished and weak he felt, began to hungrily shove the nourishment down his throat.

The gummiship's curved windshield provided a monumental view of the nearby world, which, even by Sora's vast experience in visiting worlds, looked rather...unique. The thing mostly consisted of what appeared to be a colossal piece of furniture - perhaps a wardrobe of some kind - which sat upon a spherical planet.

Sora observed the strange world with his arms propped up behind his head. "So...what do you think a 'C.S Lewis' is?" he asked, referring to the letters carved in bold in the grains of the wooden wardrobe.

"I supposed we'll have to find out," responded Skyra from behind. She tapped the button on the panel near the teleportation chamber, the door hissing open as she gestured with her head to go in.

The others filed into the circular room and the door locked in place, the air becoming once again charged with an energy that hummed ever louder in their ears and vibrated ecstatically beneath their feet. The chamber grew steadily brighter and more surreal, the light blending into one brilliant flash. Finally, the powerful crescendo of pure energy reached it's peak, sending waves of tingling electricity across their skin before sending them slicing through space at the speed of light.

A jolt of unstoppable vertigo rattled through each of their stomachs with the sheer force of their descent, and the last thing any of them saw was a idyllic world of untainted snow before an unexpected explosion of energy jarred them in their path. Riku gasped in shock as he was tossed off course, hands grasping desperately for leverage as a sickening cyclone of tumbling spun his body round and round. The speed of their fall crushed the air from their chests and sent their ears ringing like nervous bells, and all within a split-second of travel, everything finally

just

stopped.

* * *

The world was dark. It's features were lifeless, depressing, and dim. It's windblown sounds were hollow and desolate, wrought with a deep, scarred agony. Here on this planet, nothing grew and nothing lived, at least not anymore. The clouds above moved with unnatural unity, spreading and swirling, writhing like a mighty dragon coiling around itself to blot out the sun with thick layers of the purest darkness. The light was so dim that even the shadows had shadows, and in a similar fashion did the shadows themselves give rise to more of their own kind. Despite the cold darkness that choked out the heat of the sun the air was quite warm, baked by the the pools of unnaturally triggered magma that glowed with a bloodred tint and only served to make the darkness darker. Occasional lighting strikes carved their way through the blackness like veins through flesh, briefly elucifying the destroyed city below and the lifeless cliffside that overlooked it.

The steely flashes of crackling light reflected brightly in the fallen warrior's half closed eyes, eyes that were as eclipsed and hopeless as the pitiful landscape around him. They stared on like a statue's eyes, almost unmoving, deep into the darkness and shifting only when the dying lights silhouetted the tall figure standing before him.

On that cliffside were three distinct entities, and out of those three only one was standing. The first was a man garbed in obsidian clothing, whose flowing silver hair contrasted the shroud of demonic energy that seemed to suck in all the surrounding light. Behind him was a huge, rusted buster sword that once stood in memorial to it's last owner, and further back was a Cloud that had been struck so ironically low to the ground.

The grey dirt was dead and dry, soaked through with great slashes of dark crimson. Even though he could not distinguish it from the rest of the world in it's usual light setting, Cloud could feel it oozing out of innumerable lacerations throughout his body, warm and slick. Chronic agony plagued his every waking hour, and he was further tormented by the coarse, dusty ground that made his wounds burn every time he moved even a little.

Through the bleary haze of his mind he realized, at times when he was more awake, that he was not alone at all, but actually surrounded by millions of repulsive creatures. They blent into the ambiguous shadows all around, squirming and shifting, almost appearing to melt with each other as they stared hungrily at him with bestial, golden eyes. Even when he eventually drifted into a distant sleep they followed him there, bleeding into his distorted dreams, infecting the nightmares that he never seemed able to remember.

Cloud knew what they were: polluted, twisted forms that once made up the people that had inhabited this world - his world. They were real, not illusions like the illogical fantasies that sometimes, in the muddled state of his own brain, invaded his perception of reality. He knew because he had watched them turn, men, women, and children. His battle with Sephiroth had taken him back here to his home, where their deadly fight continued for days. It was not long afterwards when the city, stricken with panic, was swiftly overrun with heartless under Sephiroth's control.

He closed his eyes now to avoid their gaze. Something in the morbidness of it all, looking into the dead eyes of the millions of people he never had any chance of protecting... He wondered if Denzel's heartless was amongst them. How many more of his friends had become one of these monsters already? He involuntarily shuddered with the thought.

There was no way of knowing who had been on the world at the time, but somehow he knew this place was either dead or dying - Sephiroth seemed content with the end result.

Cloud shifted feebly, attempting to get comfortable. No matter what he tried, however, his efforts were in vain due to the fact that he was prevented from changing his position. He lie on his side, one shoulder buried in the dirt and the other shoulder pointing towards the sky. The reason why he could not move...was that a slender, impossibly long sword had been driven through his skyward shoulder, running out the other end and lodging itself several feet into the ground. It projected at an angle from the earth, wracking his body with a searing agony each time he tried to resist it. The silver steel glinted maliciously at him with every strike of lightning, its razor sharp blade biting into his flesh like a potent venom.

Masemune rendered the arm useless, gripping it in a deep and pulsating ache that made Cloud cradle it close to his body. He glared despairingly up at the sword and, like a scab he could not resist picking at, Cloud slowly, agonizingly, brought his good arm up to grab the blade. It took all his energy and willpower to do so, and finally his grip settled on what felt like cold silver fire in contrast to the red warmth that soaked through the clothes around the wound.

He took a breath and tugged weakly at the weapon, but he only succeeded in sending another flash of pain lancing through his body. The sudden blast of agony smacked his mind like a hammer and he squeezed his eyes tight against the resulting tears. He failed to hold back a quiet whimper that leapt with broken legs from his throat; he relaxed his grip on the sword.

Sephiroth, who appeared to have noticed, turned his head to stare at him over his shoulder. His acid green irises pierced the tangible darkness, boring their way into Cloud's with a light of their own.

Cloud stared back into them, half in defiance and half because he was entranced by the shimmering jade rings. Finally, though, a deep weakness pulled at his eyelids and caused his head to sag further into the hard soil.

Sephiroth smiled as Cloud's vision blurred and faded, and one last thunderclap reveled Zack's discarded blade on the ground in front of him. It reminded Cloud of how much he wished Zack were here, but as he sank deeper into unconsciousness a deep, haunting voice pervaded his thoughts, interrupting his musings.

_"That's right, Cloud, go back to sleep,"_ it purred, as if resonating in his very mind. _"Do not fear; I will watch over you while you rest..."_

A sudden panic gripped his mind and he tried to shut out the voice. _"Stop it,"_ thought Cloud frantically, his thoughts quickly unwinding into a serene pool of formless matter.

A dark chuckle was all that answered him as he plunged farther down into his own mind, and the last thing Cloud remembered was the cold, exposing stare of those green eyes before he surrendered to the clutches of sleep.

He closed his eyes, silently pleading that they would never open up again.

* * *

D: !

Okay, so I started taking AP Literature this year in school, and one of the things I recently learned about storytelling was that only amateurs blatantly describe their character's emotions with words like angry, sad, or passionate. More high quality stories let the reader infer what they are feeling, and all that good stuff. Well, I figured, "Hey, I'm pretty okay with that. I'm not trying to over-emotionalize stuff or anything."

Well, then I look at chapter 17. Ardeo's first lines: "Riku is sad."

AAAAuuuuuughghghghgh!

Well, just so you know, that's a combination of Ardeo's limited vocabulary and my own ignorance. Grrrrraaararararararara! (angry face)

Whew...

Okay, enough of my ranting. I just wanted to get that out of the way... Alright, so...new world... Yup...

And my excuse? Stuff happened, didn't get as far as I wanted to, meh... Whatever, I'm sure you understand where we're going now anyways! Can you guess it? Sounds like a good topic to put in, say, a REVIEW, hmm? Hmm? *nudge, nudge, wink, wink* ;)

I won't give you crap for this one, though. Still, I don't know about you, but that last scene freaked me out...

See ya next time!


	21. Nightmares

Chapter 21

Hello again, everybody. Today we're visiting our second Disney world (and it's about freaking time, eh?)! *rubs hands together* This one promises to be fun! ;3

Haha, oh, and made some adjustments the last chapter because, while it felt great writing it, some parts were less satisfying when I re-read it again. Just a few little fixes. Nothing major. I just think that Donald should have been way angrier.

Why is this chapter up late? One word: writer'sblock. That's right, it's all one word. Dx

Okay, that's all, in terms of notes. Sorry for taking a while, but I actually had to go back and modify bits of this since I suddenly had a newfound desire to make it as perfect as possible. Hopefully that mindset endures for the rest of this story - I'm just so complacent sometimes. Have fun:

* * *

**Nightmares**

Riku both re-atomized on top of the ground and was simultaneously smashed into it. The colossal forces of a mere blip in faster-than-light travel were so immense that his lungs were squeezed thin and then instantly reinflated, and he took in a desperate breath of air before his vision went suddenly black.

There Riku lay facing the sky for good while. His arms were splayed out on either side of him, mouth slightly open and head turned to the side.

Minutes passed and then, slowly, his senses awoke to chilling sensation bleeding in through his jeans, cold and unfamiliar. His brow contracted as he turned his head to the other side, flexing his fingers and toes while his brain steadily restarted itself. Eventually, when he opened up his eyes, the next thing he felt was severe heaviness, as if for a moment he lie at the bottom of the deepest ocean and were crushed underneath its unbearable weight. He remained still like he had been pinned to the ground, breath strained, until, finally, he gained the strength to move.

A widespread nausea accompanied him as he picked himself up, not just in his stomach but within his very skin, like every cell in his body had been whipped in circles on a sickening merry-go-round from hell. The unnatural, sickening feeling soon dissipated, however, and he was able to see that his hands now supported him above a floor made entirely of ice. He stared at it disbelievingly for a moment...and then a sudden pain caused him to rip his hands away and stand upright, hugging them close to his body.

He let a shudder pass through him, his face snuggling up against the soft fur of the coat he now wore. He silently thanked Donald's magic for providing him with the insulation, although his lower body had not received the same treatment. The hairs on the coat were an assorted variety of whites, silvers, and greys, with furry collars around his wrists, and lowered hood to help block unwanted snow. A thick, soft scarf was already coiled around his neck, its extra long ends extending a few feet behind him like flowing raven tails.

And also...no special gloves. Right. The thin, black ones he already wore would just have to do.

Riku quickly learned to rub his hands together and breath warm air into them, marveling at how they froze and yet burned at the same time. But his attention was soon drawn to the crystalline walls that surrounded him in uneven, watery formations, reflecting deep blue in the weak ambient light.

"There's so much ice here..." he said in wonder, turning in a circle to view the whole area. Riku puffed out a breath and watched as the cloud of foggy condensation rose slowly towards the ceiling. He smiled at the sight of such a thing, since it was only his second time actually being in an area cold enough to do that, and the snowy mountains of China hardly contained massive castles carved out of pure ice.

Quickly, though, through his lighthearted elation came a sudden sense of solitude, causing Riku to spin around once more with eyes darting about and frantically searching for any signs of life.

"Huh...? Sora!" he called out, "Kairi!" His voice echoed softly in the expansive hallway and he stopped turning, eyes settling on the opposite wall. "...Goofy?"

Only a still, wintry hollowness answered him, and he suddenly felt very small as he stood alone in the unfamiliar space. The silence was really quite lonely, and now that he thought about it the light setting was rather...gloomy.

"Wonder if they're okay..." he mumbled to himself, no longer dazzled by the frozen architecture. Whatever had happened to them during the drop must have split them up, and not having his friends around him in an unfamiliar world was making him...nostalgic.

Riku's eyes lowered at the familiar feeling.

He took a second to decide which way he was going and then set off at a careful walk, mindful of the lonely clacking sound his shoes made on the hard floor. Finding the others would be his first priority, then they could figure out this place together.

* * *

Sora experienced a stomach-jerking vertigo and heard a familiar muffled "crunch", while all at once his vision was painfully overtaken by a blazing white light. He inhaled sharply, deeply, as if he had been holding his breath all his life, and then continued to lay on his back and watch the dazzling stars that danced before his eyes.

Minutes passed before Sora became aware of a comfortable, cold claustrophobia, and only then did he realize that he was actually lying in a foot deep hole of perfect, untainted snow. Purple spots blinded him as he sat upright, but they gradually faded, allowing him to gaze upon a wild forest consisting of a mixed variety of coniferous and deciduous trees. Their branches and twigs grew long and many, almost intertwining with one another due to their tight proximity and clouding much of the canopy above. It was a truly thick and untamed wood, with only a few shades of grey and soft green to contrast with the white that burdened every branch and pine needle.

Sora climbed to his feet and hugged his exposed legs, which had begun to grow goosebumps in the absence of longer pants. He shivered as the furry arms of his new coat warmed the chilled skin, then he stood and tried to shake out the clumps of snow that had fallen into his shoes. He took a second to examine the coat, being no stranger to transforming clothes. He saw that it was somewhat thick and heavy, extending a little ways below his thighs in a brown that was a bit darker than his hair.

He thought it was odd that the coat was so long, but he figured it was just the style here, so he put his thoughts aside and looked around him for the others.

The dense foliage surrounded him in what looked like a small clearing, in the center of which rose a small hill. In the edges of his vision was what seemed to be a few dark shapes beginning to shift amongst the snow, which he assumed was Donald, Goofy, and Riku. What his eyes immediately focused on, however, was Kairi standing tall atop the hillock. Skyra was already up and about - he could see some of her on the other side of the hill - but Kairi appeared to be gazing all around in a state of wonder and confusion. Sora smiled and trudged through the undisturbed snow towards her.

She saw him coming and failed to hold back a smile that seemed to be somehow caused by the enchanting surroundings.

"Sora..." breathed Kairi, her eyes sparkling in the blaze of white light reflecting all around them. "What is all this stuff?"

"The snow?" said Sora with a quirked eyebrow. "Oh, you've never seen snow before, have you, Kairi?"

She shook her head and hugged her arms closer to her body. "No... What is it?"

"Haha, well, it's kind of like ice, I think. You know how they stick water in front of a really powerful air conditioner to get ice cubes back home? Well, it's like that, but softer - and you can eat it!"

Kairi scooped up some snow in her bare hands and took a bite, smiling as it melted and flicking the rest of the stuff away.

"Some worlds do it naturally, somehow," explained Sora, "like Christmas Town and China. But you know the best thing you can do with it?"

Kairi blinked and shook her head again. Sora peeked down the hill, spotting Skyra a few yards away with her back turned. He tried to hold back a snigger as he bent down and gathered a large portion of snow, hands working fast to shape it into a compact sphere

"Check it out," he said, showing her the snowball before fixing his gaze once again on Skyra. "Just aim, and...fire!"

Sora threw the snowball. Kairi kept her eyes locked onto it as it rolled through the air, seeming to glow dully in all the lightest shades of white, until finally..._paf_!

It was a very well-aimed shot.

Kairi's eyes opened wide as she watched Skyra's body go rigid. The snowball had hit her right in the back of the head, where it instantly disintegrated into hundreds of fluffy bits and slid down her neck and inside her coat. A slight shiver seemed to go up Skyra's spine, and Kairi slowly rotated her head to stare at Sora in shock.

What could have possibly possessed Sora to do such a thing, she had no idea. Maybe he had temporarily forgotten how scary Skyra could be, or he could have just been trying to impress her or something. That was the best Kairi could come up with, at any rate.

Sora snorted a little at his perfect throw, and only when Skyra ever so slowly turned her head, owl like, to glare daggers at him did he seem to realize his mistake.

The forest around them remained dead silent. A sound like "Uhhh..." seemed to drag itself from Sora's throat while he and Skyra stared at each other for many excruciating seconds. Finally, Skyra moved, turning around slowly and reaching a hand into her coat.

Sora saw this and bolted in the opposite direction, screaming, "Wait, Skyra! It was just a snowball!"

Kairi looked back to see Skyra pull Ardeo from her furry coat and plop him onto the snow. The dragon complained loudly once his paws touched the cold precipitation, but Skyra ran after Sora anyway. Somewhat panicked, Kairi moved like she would place herself between the two, but Skyra reacted too quickly and Kairi flinched as something whizzed right past her body.

"Ah!" cried Sora as white stuff exploded all around his head, the force of the impact causing him to stumble and roll down the rest of the hillock.

Kairi watched him go with wide eyes while Skyra halted next to her, also observing his plight. Eventually the boy stopped tumbling uncontrollably, and he ended up a breathless mess on the ground with white flecks of snow stuck in every hair and opening of his brown coat. Sora lay still for a second, and Skyra turned her head to look at Kairi, who just noticed a second snowball glimmering like a murder weapon in her grasp. Kairi took a few steps back.

"W-Wait," she protested, "I didn't throw it: he did...!"

"Guilty by association, Kairi. You should have controlled him better."

Skyra stalked closer, snowball at the ready, and Kairi turned and made a dash for it. A sharp pressure in her back made her yelp with the knowledge that she had been hit, but she caught her balance and continued to put ground between her and her attacker. Looking back, she saw Skyra get hit with another snowball thrown by Sora.

Donald and Goofy joined the battle a few seconds later, and soon the whole group was tossing snowballs. Ardeo flew all around them, crying happily in his strange voice before perching on a tree branch and chuckling weirdly to himself. Skyra remained king of the hill, dodging more and more snowballs as the entire match devolved into a chaotic war. Sora tilted his head questioningly when he saw Skyra actually laughing along with them, but he said nothing of it.

Eventually the game ended when the players' hands were so cold that they could no longer hold snowballs, and everyone was left with rosy cheeks and bits of biting snow lodged inside their shoes and coats. Ardeo dashed into Skyra's obsidian winter coat and attached himself to her back, shivering down to his bones and whining softly.

Kairi glanced up while holding her aching hands, suddenly seeming to remember something.

"Hey...have you guys seen Riku anywhere?" questioned Kairi.

"What?" quacked Donald, glancing quickly left and right.

"No..." murmured Sora in slow realization, "Wait, where is he?" Sora scanned the forest in a circle, trying to peer through the gaps in the tall trunks of snow-glazed coniferous trees. "Riku!" he shouted into the stillness, then he mumbled, "Oh, no... Rikuuuuu!"

Kairi, Donald, and Goofy scanned every visible crack between the surrounding trees while also calling out Riku's name, and Skyra only lifted her eyes upward to listen for any other sound in the frozen tranquility.

"Hmm...he must've gotten separated from us," said Goofy with pressed eyebrows, noting that there were no footprints leading away from the cramped clearing. "Wonder where he went?"

"...Why does this always happen?" asked Sora dejectedly, the joy of the snowball fight forgotten. He suppressed a shiver by hugging his arms around his body, head inclined towards his chest. "It's like we can never go more that a few weeks without us being pulled apart..."

Kairi saw Sora's downcast eyes and cast a similar gaze deep into the concealing forest. "I know, Sora... But I'm sure he's okay, right?" She tugged on his fluffy arm to snap him out of it.

He blinked and looked up at her, noticing that behind her words of assurance was a worry of her own. "Oh...yeah, I guess he would be," he agreed with a half smile and a nod of his head.

"Don't you worry none, Sora. I'm sure we'll find 'em soon," said Goofy, whose jacket now sported extra padding and furry sleeves.

"Yeah!" agreed Donald sincerely. "He'll be fine, I just know it!"

Skyra approached the wall of foliage to their right. "Yes, I'm sure we'll locate the knucklehead eventually, but that'll never get done if we keep moping around here," she pointed out. Skyra gestured to the woods with her head before taking the first step inside, and the others began to follow.

Sora, Kairi, and Goofy traveled in single file behind Skyra, while Donald lingered a moment at the edge of the clearing, looking back. "Ohhhhh..." he sighed, tail feathers drooping. He fluffed up his feathers and shook a little snow from the top of his webbed feet, and then waddled on behind the others.

The group made steady progress through the unpredictable growth, flaring pine branches laden with snow reaching out to snag at their bodies. The sky was partially masked by the wild plant life spiderwebbing above their heads, and every needle and small plant was adorned with jewels of frost that made them gleam with a mystical quality. The _skrt, skrt_ of crunching snow filled the air with each step, somehow granting comfort despite the cold and their missing member. Five pairs of feet made their way along, and Ardeo poked his head out of Skyra's coat to gaze at the scenery with soft warbles of amazement, although he was still quite unwilling to come out of his warm hiding place.

They trekked for what was probably half an hour before the ambient white snow began to take on a blue tint, the first signs of dusk dimming their vision. All this time and still not a sound had penetrated the peaceful solitude of the seemingly empty forest. Sora felt the temperature drop slightly, but this was mostly due to a gentle, chilling breeze that ebbed through the pillars of bark and brushed their skin with soft fingers. He decided that they must be near the forests edge, and soon enough the trees began to thin out little by little.

Sora had to admit, he somewhat liked the quiet stillness - it provided a nice break from battles, explosions, and the general mayhem that constantly gripped his mind during such situations. Unfortunately, the lack of distractions also prompted his mind to wander into thoughts that seemed...well, very familiar, to say the least.

Kairi had also apparently noticed the silence that no one seemed willing to break. "Don't any animals live here?" she wondered aloud.

"Huh...well I guess there'd at least be squirrels or something," figured Sora. "Maybe birds, too, if they haven't left..."

"Probably deer and bears, too," added Skyra. "And _wolves._"

"_Wolves?_" repeated Donald and Goofy. They glanced around fretfully for any sign of the ferocious predators.

Skyra kept trudging on, seemingly unconcerned. "Yeah, I bet they'd make a nice dinner out of you," she commented with a glance to Donald. "Ever tasted duck before, Sora?"

"What?" he answered, startled.

"Skyra!" admonished Kairi.

Donald narrowed his eyes and slashed the air with his staff. "Ah, phooey!" he exclaimed. "I ain't afraid o' no wolves! They can fight me tooth and claw, but with my spells, the food chain's got nothing on me!"

Skyra snickered to herself. "Whatever you say..." she mumbled.

Kairi sighed and shook her head, and then leant closer to Sora. "We probably shouldn't tell Donald that we've eaten duck before," she murmured.

"Yeah...but those ducks couldn't talk, right?"

She laughed. "Still, I don't think he would appreciate us eating extended members of his species."

Sora nodded his head. "Right."

"You two got something to say?" prompted Donald with narrowed eyes, apparently suspicious of their whispering.

"Uh-no, nothing!" professed Sora, feeling like he'd been caught inn the spotlight. Donald's eyes sharpened even further at Sora's uncomfortable smile, and with a grunt and shake of his feathers he began to waddle off with his nose upturned.

Sora and Kairi sighed quietly in relief. _Whew, that was close..._

_You have some weird friends, Sora_, thought Roxas to his counterpart.

_Aw, he doesn't mean anything by it,_ Sora responded mirthfully. _So what's up, Roxas? Are you bored again or something?_

Roxas was unable to hold back a short flutter of anxiousness, and Sora smirked knowingly. _Haha, okay Roxas. I'll let you come out now._

Sora dug into his pocket, the smooth edges of the winged heart pendant like cold steel in his grasp. "Okay everyone, I'm letting Roxas out, alright?" he informed the others. They nodded and stopped walking to regard Sora with interest.

The pendants chain chimed in smooth silver notes when Sora pulled it from his pocket, the sunset - colored heart growing warm in his grasp as he brought it up. Streams of shimmering light flowed out of the object as it hummed, one black and one white wing tucked in beautiful on either side. Finally, the heart split into four sections, the light exploded as the pendant prepared to do its work, torrents of fiery photons blazing in purest golds and oranges and violets as they burst from the hearts core.

Everyone shielded their eyes or glanced away as the intense light flashed onto the cold trees around them and making the dark wooden beams seem to catch fire. Finally the luminescence melted into a molten ball like that of the sun and raced away from the pendant, crashing into the ground. In and instant the blinding glow retreated inside of Roxas, and everyone blinked their eyes to see him standing in fullness before them.

The stranger was observing his hands intently while flexing his fingers in a out, also wiggling his foot in the crisp blanket of snow to watch how it collected in flakes on the shoe. After a moment he glanced up, gauging the look in each of their eyes.

Kairi, Donald, and Goofy smiled warmly, remembering that Sora had wanted them to make Roxas feel welcome. Skyra just nodded simply, though obviously intrigued by the blonde boy.

Roxas nodded in return before hugging his arms, trying to rub away the chill that had already settled on the skin. "You're right," he breathed, "it is cold out here, Sora."

Donald laughed a little and then lifted up his staff. "Here ya go, Roxas!" he said, releasing a misty aura that moved to surround the Nobody like a warm cloud. The goosebumps on Roxas' arms rapidly disappeared and he no longer felt the need to shiver. The unthreatened snow around his shoes suddenly receded from the cloak of heat that the spell had conjured on him, leaving the wet permafrost to resolidify whenever he lifted his foot.

Roxas seemed surprised by the act. "Thanks...Donald," he said.

"No problem!" grinned the magician.

"Hey, check it out," chuckled Sora. Roxas turned his head to see that the boy was edging closer to him with arms outstretched. "Roxas, you're so warm!"

"Sora, cut it out!"

Everyone watched as Roxas tried to get away from Sora, who was persistent in in trying to use him as a portable fireplace. With much giggling Kairi eventually managed to get Sora at a respectable distance, and Roxas was relieved to have some personal space again, although everybody subconsciously stayed near to him as they continued to walk along.

From somewhere up in the darkening branches, a set of deep blue eyes watched, owl like, as Sora slipped the pulsating heart pendant back inside his bright red pouch and trudged on below without a clue. The solitary pair of eyes blinked, glimmering slightly as the small group vanished amongst the tree ahead.

* * *

About fifteen minutes later, the group could finally peek through the last line of trees and shrubbery. They braced their way through the final tangle of stubborn twigs and brambles, stepping out into a wide open field of softly glowing snow.

"So..._now_ which way do we go?" wondered Sora aloud, his eyes glancing over the tree line to the shadowy cliff rising up out of the gloom not far away.

"Hey, what about that guy?" suggested Kairi, pointing over at a figure standing off into the distance.

Each of them strained their eyes to see what appeared to be a tall man dressed in a long coat that blazed red in the last glum rays of twilight. "Heeeyyy!" called Sora with hands cupped over his mouth. Appearing to not have heard him, the dark figure faded into the shadow between the trees and the rocky cliff face, back still turned in the distance.

"Maybe...we should follow him?" reasoned Sora.

"Hmm..." hummed Goofy with one hand supporting his chin. "It seems a little funny ta' me..."

"But he could be going towards civilization. At least that way we could finally get out of the cold."

"Amen to that!" agreed Donald, trudging on ahead of them. "I hope they've developed running water because I could use a nice hot bat right about now!"

"Me too," said Kairi as she sniffed sharply to keep her nose from running. I had no idea a world could be this cold, even after all your stories, Sora."

Sora chuckled as his shoes sunk down into the deeper snow with each crunching step. "Yeah, experiencing something firsthand is much different than just hearing about it," he commented as frosted breath escaped from his mouth. "Are you getting cold, Kairi? Maybe that snowball fight was a bad idea after all..."

"Well, it was all your fault anyway," she pointed out, nudging him on the shoulder and causing him to laugh.

"Hey!" he said indignantly, though he knew there was no use in denying it.

"And yes, I'm fine," assured Kairi before gazing off at the darkening cliffside ahead of them. "I'm just glad to be with you guys this time."

"Glad to have ya, toots," replied Donald.

"Uh-huh!" affirmed Goofy with a grin.

Sora scratched the back of his head with an odd laugh. "Heh, I know you say that to everyone, Donald, but it just sounds funny when you call Kairi 'toots'."

"What? Are you making fun of the way I talk?!" accused Donald.

"_Well_, it is kinda hard to understand you sometimes..." This merited smirks from everyone.

"Hmph!" huffed Donald, sending a burning glare Sora's way. "I could say the same for you! You're so bipolar it's a wonder you don't take medication! You've always seemed to have problems deciding whether you're happy or depressed."

Everybody broke out into laughter at Sora's expense, even Roxas. Sora mumbled something good-naturedly under his breath, but eventually put on a sideways smile. The group of friends continued to trudge on, and all the while Roxas stole unnoticed glances at Kairi, studying her face intently as if watching for something hidden. No matter how many times he looked, however, he never seemed able to find what he was searching for.

* * *

Their extensive trek eventually took the six across a flawless field of snow and through the untamed forest that reached with gnarled hands as if to push the steep cliff out of its way. Here it grew quickly darker, and only the blue-shadowed snow allowed them to vaguely distinguish the rows of shady trees from each other. Without the snow, Sora was certain that it would have been nearly impossible to see at all. Each of them sifted through the blurry darkness as best as they could manage, and another ten minutes or so passes before one of them finally discovered a lonely set of footprints betraying the path someone had taken through the forest not long ago.

"Looks like someone wearing boots left these," observed Sora. He glanced down at his sopping wet sneakers. "Lucky..."

"I would have though that those massive shoes kept the snow out just fine," quipped Skyra dryly.

"Hey, stop bashing on my shoes!" cried Sora. "I like to have lots of room for my toes... And besides, they don't help when ten pounds of snow gets inside and weighs me down."

"Hmh. Point taken," she conceded.

And with that they continued on with numbing toes, following the barely visible footprints with a growing hope to find friendly company not far away. Sora's mind had grown dull and weary by the time that section of the forest had come to an end in front of them. The cold that had crept into his shoes and bit at his ears and face caused his thought to drift to warmer places, and he wished for a hot cup of cider or chocolate, anything steamy to pour down his throat. Everyone was now permanently positioned somewhere near Roxas, who continuously produced a radiating heat and soon became used to being completely surrounded.

As they breached the edge of the wood and got a nice view of still more trees ahead, the group was surprised to find that the footprints they had been trailing cut off mysteriously at the peak of a hill which sloped down into a frozen pond below. On the small body of water there was what appeared to be something along the lines of a beavers dam, a somewhat neat, ovalish structure put together with thick branches and twigs.

"They just...stopped?" pondered Kairi, her head cocked to the side.

"Wak! That doesn't make any sense!" cried Donald.

Sora lent down to pluck something long and dark from the ground next to the diapering footprints. "... A black feather?" he queried. "Wonder why this is here?"

"Gawrsh, ya don't think that whoever it was might've just sprouted wings and flown away, do ya?" offered Goofy.

Sora turned the feather over in his hand, an unsettling feeling staring to build up in his gut. He wondered if the person they had been following was who he thought it was, but he displaced the idea from his mind as being impossible. Sephiroth was long gone. "Got any ideas, Skyra?" he asked in distraction.

The older girl beside him contemplated the evidence with arm folded in front of her. "...No idea," she replied truthfully.

At a loss, and with still no sign of any other living things, the group decided to put their searching aside for the moment and set up a tent. It was Goofy who usually carried the collapsible sets of poles and fabric, and Sora and Donald were used to camping out on world so the small shelter was built fairly quickly. Once inside, Sora and the other could finally hide from the chilly breeze. Donald exchanged Roxas' heat cloak for a simple fire spell to help warm them all, explaining how difficult it was to concentrate on multiple spells simultaneously.

"It can't really be _that_ hard, can it?" commented Sora.

"Oh yeah? Well I's like to see you try it, Mister Mighty Keyblade Weilder," huffed the magician. He gave Sora a scoffing glance, obviously not believing that the boy could ever attain that level of concentration.

"Thanks for the idea, Donald," mused Sora while prying off his waterlogged shoes. "I'll make sure to try it out the next time we get into a battle."

"Wak!" exclaimed Donald.

"Heaven help us all," grimaced Skyra as she pulled Ardeo out of her coat.

Roxas smiled in amusement. Goofy and Kairi both chuckled. Sora put on a wry, satisfied smirk that soon faded the longer he gazed off into the dark shadows cast by their silhouettes against the tent wall. The black figures wavered in the flickering light of the fire, just as hypnotic and eye-catching as the flames themselves, which drew the attention of all but Sora.

The smokeless magical fire comforted their cold bodies and helped dry their shoes, and Ardeo made sure to stretch himself out as close as possible so that it would warm his back and wings. The tiny dragon sighed in contentment and breathed quietly on the tent floor, and it was not long after when Sora, too, reached a similar state of thoughtless drifting. The warmth and closeness of the small tent eventually coaxed his mind into unwinding itself, and soon he found himself lost in faint dreams of snowflakes and strange shadowy things moving about without form.

_Through the winter haze he thought he saw Riku standing afar off, alone. He tried moving, running, and even reaching out, but he was nothing more substantial than a pair of eyes and Riku's faded silhouette quickly disappeared into the mist._

_Even in his mild state Sora began to panic, and after struggling for many melting seconds his eyes settled upon another figure moving across his line of sight. It was Donald, waddling along on the sturdy, frozen lake. Suddenly the magician stopped, shivered, and without warning raised his staff and unleashed a blazing fireball into the night air. _

_The fire grew huge, morphing into a wild lion that roared with the rumbling fury of an earthquake. The huge beast opened its great mouth and consumed massive snowflakes falling from the heavens, growing incredibly larger and larger until it had eaten up the very sky._

_Sora was so focused on the beastly act that he did not notice the fragile ice cracking underneath his feet until it was too late. The chunk of frozen water wobbled under his weight, and only now could he finally move his legs as the broken sheet of ice finally flipped, and he was sent plunging into the arctic water._

As he sunk deeper and deeper Sora became aware of a sudden shaking. His mind slowed as a few large bubbles escaped from his lips, and the shining blue light beyond the ice blinked and faded until finally all was quiet and dark.

...

"...Sora..."

Another shake sent his thoughts scattering. _What? Who's that? Kairi? But where...? What am I...?_

"...Wake him up gently or he might think we're under attack," he heard another voice say.

...Donald. Right, Donald, that's who it was.

"Sora, wake up," came the soft voice again.

Another shake, this time one that registered throughout his whole body and made him inhale deeply. His eyes opened briefly, meeting nothing but a darkness which prompted him to shut them once more. _Sleepy... Don't want to get up..._

Finally the hand on his shoulder rolled him over onto his back. The sudden motion caused Sora to look up, and sitting above him was indeed Kairi. "Sora, come on," insisted his friend. "I think something's going on outside."

Sora grudgingly pushed himself into a sitting position, rubbing a hand up his face until his palm rested on his eye and his fingers gripped his hair. "Huh...? What is it?" he muttered, gazing around to see that Donald's fireball had disappeared and the tent was now considerably cooler due to the open flap on the adjacent wall. Roxas watched him with sky blue eyes, even less willing to go outside due to his lack of a winter coat.

Sora took his time with rubbing his eyes before forcing himself to crawl out of the tent. As he exited he noticed Skyra, Donald, and Goofy standing out in the still winter night. Kairi followed him out, and when Sora gave the others a questioning glance Skyra directed his eyes down the steep slope with her index finger.

"That dam down there," she indicated. "I think there are actually people inside."

Sora was annoyed by the simplicity of the statement, and he huddled tighter inside his thick coat to help warm himself. "How do you figure?" he ventured to ask, finally starting to wake up. Finding other humans was, he had to admit, kind of a big deal, after all.

"One ran away from it a little while ago," she responded.

"Huh?" Sora squinted at the dark shape of the dam, which was partially obscured by the trees growing on the snowy incline nearby. Now that he really looked, there did appear to be a warm glimmer of light coming from some point on its obscure surface, as if there were a small window looking into a fire there.

"But why would someone run into the cold?" asked Goofy.

The question went unanswered for a number of moments. Finally, however, there appeared to be some kind of commotion down below as a door was flung open, and out of the dam raced three young people followed by two medium sized animals - probably beavers, considering the circumstances. The odd group ran as fast as they could across the small pond and into a forest that rose steadily up towards two twin mountains in the distance.

"Hey, what's going on?" wondered Sora, bewildered.

"They're leaving, too..." said Kairi.

"And going in the same direction as the first one," stated Skyra.

Sora stared off into the bitter night, the skin on his face already starting to chap in the freezing air. He contemplated what all this meant, if it really meant anything for them at all. "So...what, should we go after them or something?" he suggested.

"Don't know..." said Donald, one eyebrow quirked as he rubbed the top of his head. "Is it our business?"

"We're not supposed ta interfere with the affairs of other worlds," reminded Goofy with a smile. "We gots' ta keep the World Border!"

"Don't make me tell you again, Goofy: that's the 'World _Order_', you bonehead!" corrected Donald.

"Well, think of it this way," said Skyra. "For all we know, these people might be the only civilization in miles of this place. We don't know anything about this world or even how big it is. So," she paused pointedly, "we could wander around mindlessly in the snow, _or_ we could follow them, figure out how this world works, and maybe even get an idea of where to look for Riku." She turned and faced them. "Sound like our business now?"

Donald eyed her suspiciously and placed his fists on his hip. "Hey, I see what you did there!"

"And?" she shrugged. "Am I or am I not right?"

"Hrrrr..." hummed Donald in irritation. "Well when you put it that way..."

"...It might be the best chance we have to find him," finished Sora. His eyes remained focused on the shadowy forest where the five strangers had disappeared.

"Well, if that's what you want to do, Sora," spoke Goofy. He clapped his hands together once. "Alright everyone, let's take this tent apart before we get goin'!"

On the knight's command, everyone worked in concordance to disassemble the temporary shelter before setting off after the strange people and their...beavers.

* * *

Sometimes I feel like the universe is trying to tell me something. With the way we always end up being separated, it's like we can never rest, can never go on for a consecutive amount of time without something happening to one of us. It's not exactly a comforting sentiment.

We've been together ever since I can remember, and Sora was with Riku even before that. Those times were simpler. We never worried about being torn away from our friends, our home. Us three. Together forever.

This time were are sure he is on the same world, but somehow the distance between us...hurts. Sora feels it, too, I can tell. We are reminded of the troubles of the past, and are afraid. There is nothing for it, but still we think constantly for his safety. We dream, play out fantasies in our minds of finding him, or not finding him. I guess it shows that you care for someone a lot when they consume your thoughts like this. I don't ever want that to change. No matter how old we get and how far apart our lives take us.

If nothing else, please, let that one thing always be the same.

And please, just be okay, Riku. It's all we wish for.

* * *

A pair of aquamarine eyes scanned ahead as they appeared from around a corner. Their gaze met nothing but pale stillness, and Riku turned to glance back... Still nothing. Did anyone even live here?

He began pacing cautiously down the new hallway, trying not to slip on the almost frictionless surface below. Riku tilted his head to stare upward as one inevitably does while standing in massive rooms, the weak light staring back at him and making everything look dull and blue. Irregular icicles hung from ceilings and archways, creating an almost cave-like environment and making the place look all the more desolate. He wondered how anybody could stand living in this place anyway, with all this gloomy ice. No place for an islander like him, but at least the walls blocked out any wind that might come through.

This castle had been getting less and less interesting the longer he stayed here, which must have been at least a few hours. It was just hallway after hallway. He wished there was something else to look at aside from ice. Blue, depressing ice, in a dead, silent castle. Yippie. Man, his head was beginning to grow numb.

Eventually the corridor lead him to more open area, perhaps a sort of crossroads where multiple hallways met. A massive, cavernous space lead to a winding flight of stairs that reached high along the wall into an upper floor.

Riku was about to investigate further when, finally, a crisp sound entered his perception and he reflexively moved to hide himself by the wall. He recognized the sound to be footsteps: an odd, softer pair, and a slower, heavier pair. He waited a moment and peeked around, and there before him was...well, an unusual sight.

Riku blinked to make sure he was seeing this correctly, but every time he lifted his eyelids they were still there. A real, live, and quite imposing wolf was padding along, and walking behind it, an apparently normal young boy wearing a huge grey coat. Normal being a loose term, obviously.

Riku might have imagined it the other way around, and most likely fast-forwarded, but certainly not a boy calmly following a wolf. Just what kind of backwards planet did he land on, anyway? Still, he was very intrigued nonetheless. He watched the two pass by and then begin climbing the dark staircase, completely unaware of his presence. He stood up as they moved out of sight, and with a quick glance around decided that following them would be better than wandering around the lifeless castle. He hurried to sneak carefully up the frozen steps, trying to keep silent as he went.

"Right this way..." he heard a gruff voice say up ahead, though who it belonged to he was not sure.

The stairs eventually brought him to a double door entrance way that preceded a clean, rectangular room. A low mist disguised the floor which stretched ahead, rising up on all sides by a few decorative stairs. The two figures standing within were flanked by a row of icy pillars on both sides, a touch that gave the room a symmetrical feel, and before them was what looked to be a throne of some sort. An aquatic green glow emanated from behind the frozen chair, and above it were elegant decorations made from icicles and a stained glass panel.

"Wait here," grunted the wolf, and Riku did a double take. Did that animal just...?

The lone boy seemed less surprised than Riku, though he also watched the canine exit into a path on the right with some measure of caution. Now alone, the boy gazed up and about, and Riku concealed himself once again to avoid being seen. When he sensed it was safe, he peered through to see the boy approaching the elegantly carved chair, brushing the cushion of fur before sitting upon it and glancing all around with an odd smile on his lips.

Riku squinted and then ducked back, pondering the kid's strange behavior. Nothing anyone did here was making any sense to him so far._ A castle of ice..._he thought. _But where's the King?_

He waited a moment before spying again around the wall, and to his astonishment there was now a tall woman approaching the throne on the right. Behind her was a dark shape, which Riku soon recognized as, or what at least appeared to be, a very small man with a harsh, scraggly grey beard cascading like a river from his chin.

The woman placed her pale, slender fingers on the contours of the chair, her hair tied back severely in a way that made her sharp eyes seem all the more astringent. They glared coldly at the boy, who had yet to take notice. Riku could not help but see that a crown of icicles adorned her head, and in her grasp was a deadly looking wand made from a skillfully crafted metal, tipped on either end by a sharp spear of ice.

"Like it...?" Her voice was as quiet and austere as her entrance.

"Oh," the boy started from his seat in surprise. "... Y-yes...Your Majesty." Despite being startled, Riku thought the kid seemed somewhat comfortable being near the woman, which was more than he could say for himself. Maybe it was the light setting or the talking wolf, but somehow this entire scene was sending bad vibes flying all over the place.

The regal woman let her hand fall, keeping her gaze set on the boy while slowly gliding in front of the throne, causing him to move away.

"...I thought you would..." she murmured to him, almost so quiet as to not be heard. Wand in hand, she sat, reclining onto the soft white furs that adorned the decorative throne. "Tell me, Edmund..." -Riku took advantage of her pause to commit the name to memory- "...are your sisters deaf?"

"No..." responded the boy in a funny accent. He probably thought the woman was joking.

"And your brother, is he..." she paused, looking for the right word, "...unintelligent?"

Edmund snickered humorously in response. "Well, I think so, but mum says-"

"Then HOW. _DARE_. you come _alone?!" _

Riku flinched away from her sudden outburst. She was now standing imperiously over the Edmund boy, who had begun shrinking away before her.

"I-I tried-"

"-Edmund, I ask so little of you," she cut in coldly.

"They-they just don't listen to me," he pleaded, quickly, backing away.

"...Couldn't even do that," her voice like smooth venom.

"I-I did bring them half way," he cried, losing his nerve. "They're at the little house at the dam - with the Beavers..." Edmund chewed his lip nervously, and the woman did nothing but stare dispassionately into him, apparently finding the information worthy of some thought. The dwarf like man by her side brought his eyes up to look at her, waiting.

"...Well." A word whispered like a sharp wind. Her stare was inexorable, unyielding. "I suppose you're not a total loss, then...are you?"

Riku ducked back into hiding, now extremely conscious that he should not make any noise that might reveal his location. He had no idea what he had just witnessed, but his instincts told him that it couldn't possibly lead to anything good. _She wants him and his siblings,_ that much he could gather, _but...why?_ He turned, and then proceeded to nearly have a heart attack.

On the platform in front of him was a gathering of at least half a dozen black monsters. Doglike and huge, they hunched low to the ground, oversized claws scratching the ice as they crept threateningly towards him with bared teeth that were so white against their black bodies. They radiated unnatural smoke from every orfice, and at the base of each shoulder protruded a whip like appendage decked with a pattern of daggertail blades. Small, triangular yellow eyes. Heartless.

A word shot through Riku's mind, one that his mother would not approve of. He exhaled slowly as he pressed his back into the wall, summoning his Keyblade with as little noise as possible.

Meekly, that strange boy's voice cut in from the other room. "Well... I-I was wondering...could I, maybe," that last word sounded rather deflated, "have some more Turkish delight...now?"

The words barely registered in Riku's mind. He could be discovered at any second and this kid was asking for dessert. Flipping incredible. The heartless inched closer, their eerie silence unnerving him just as much as their writhing blades, which constantly made a skin crawling, insectile scraping sound as each razor sharp piece rubbed up against another.

"My Queen," growled a low voice, urgently. Riku heard something dash into the other room, a series of scrambling footsteps and claws. It was that same wolf from before, the one that, even now, sounded gruff and intimidating.

"What is it, Maugrim?"

"Intruder, Your Majesty! The heartless tell me he's near."

Riku involuntarily held his breath._ Oh no..._

A short silence followed, and Riku imagined the woman turning her gaze towards the entranceway behind which he now stood. "After him, then!" she commanded. "And try not to kill it, whatever deranged species it must be."

Riku heard the wolf snort darkly to clear its throat, and an instant later his ears were assaulted by a frighteningly high-pitched howl. The baying and barking of at least seven other wolves joined in until the only audible sound was of beastly snarls and moving bodies - all of which were coming straight for him. Riku breathed in sharply and took off, a shot of fearful adrenaline blasting through his spine.

The heartless reacted in perfect synchronization, shifting like silent blurs to arrange themselves in the best possible way to block his escape. The foremost one leapt right at him with a nasty set of blood red claws extended at his torso. Without any time to spare Riku hurtled right through them, using his Dark Shield magic to blast them out of his path as he slid to the ground. He made it to the staircase and launched himself high into the air, whirling around throwing his keyblade back at his enemies. One of the heartless deflected it with its blades, however, and Riku caught the weapon just as he came out of the spin and began plummeting the rest of the way down.

He landed on a bend where the staircase turned, but his feet slipped and he tumbled forwards onto his side. Recovering just long enough to stand, Riku jumped and allowed himself to fall down the face of a smooth cliff of pure ice. He jammed his Way To Dawn into the rippling ice as he shot past, grinding his teeth as the blade screeched against it and harshly ended his fall. Riku then ripped the weapon away and alighted on ground level, holding his strained arm socket before dashing away once again; the wolves and their heartless were already almost finished with the stairs.

He chose a hallway that he had already explored, figuring that his gracious hosts already possessed the home-field advantage. No need to barrel down some unfamiliar corridor only to meet a dead end. The wolves' barks were like vicious thunder behind him, roaring in his ears and reverberating throughout the dim space. Riku slid around a corner, struggling to keep his feet from sliding out from under him. His pursuers, however, were better able to find friction due to their sharp nails and better experience in such an environment. He was certain that it was only a matter of time before they caught up to him - he knew that he could not outrun those speedy animals for long.

A few minutes later he found himself shooting through an unfamiliar hallway, not that they were all very distinct anyway. Glancing up ahead, he thought he saw a flash of shadow, fabric that almost looked red, like some kind of figure running into an adjacent corridor. Riku slid to a stop as he reached it, the faint noise that echoed from either side of the hallway making him look both ways. Great tides of air rushed in and out of his lungs. They were trying to cut him off. Though suspicious of whatever he had just seen, Riku sprinted down the new path anyway, deciding that it was his best option.

Massive icicles raced past him as he ran, and, wouldn't you know his luck, the next corner he rounded turned out to be a dead end. A thick, impenetrable wall stretched from one side of the hall to the other, boxing him in. End of the road.

_Shoot_, he cursed mentally. No sign of that mysterious shadow, either.

Riku halted and turned back, but now the wolf-like creatures were barely moments away. Faced with the option of having his back to a wall or the possibility of being surrounded, Riku chose the wall. He kept going until he was only a few feet away from it and then turned to face the malevolent beasts. A whole pack of them came flying into view, racing and pushing past each other to get to him first. Riku glanced backward for a second, and as he looked away something made him do a double-take. Somehow, there was what appeared to be a soft blue glow rippling from a point inside the frozen wall. Only now did he notice that, inset deep within, some small object glimmered with the sharp edges of a eight-tipped star.

Of course, Riku had more important things to do than stare at shiny objects at the moment. Ferocious and eager for blood, the wolves raced forward with every ounce of speed they could muster, their eyes reflecting a primal rage that consumed their minds, sparking an overpowering animalistic determination to hunt him down. Both the wolves and the heartless came at him with gaping jaws filled with powerful canine teeth, bits of slobber flying out of their mouths with each bound.

Riku held his keyblade in its usual position, crouching down low as he breathed in concentration. He watched as the distance between them rapidly closed, and there were only a few meters left.

_Looks like it's going to be brains versus brawn_, he mused cockily, despite himself.

Rather that the explosive head-to-head clash he had been expecting, the heartless had instead decided to utilize a more tactical approach. Riku watched as a shadowy black monster cut diagonally from right to left in front of him, sharply followed by another moving from left to right. The "x" maneuver distracted him long enough for a third to lunge right at him. He felt the heartless' claws slam into his chest and in and instant he was violently forced to the ground. His head cracked against the ice.

Riku's breath was forced right out of him by the sheer pressure of the things weight. It was like a living incarnation of a nightmare, its massive body smoking with dark energy as it ravenously tried to snap at his face with wicked teeth. Riku's keyblade was the only thing stopping the creature from tearing into him; he pushed the flat of the blade up against its powerful neck as it wrestled just an inch away with those unsettlingly white fangs.

Ear-splitting barking and growling lit up the air around as Riku struggled beneath the wolfs jaws, a silent snarl forming on its lips. Finally he twisted his body and forced it away with a kick, his heart already hammering spastically in his chest while he stood.

Not even a second later he was almost mauled again by a normal wolf, but he managed to avoid it and struck a blow to its side as it passed, causing it to yelp in pain. Riku then launched an attack of his own, but his enemies were somehow much more intelligent than the typical heartless, and seemed to excel in agility and teamwork. As they fought it soon became clear that he would have to be just as tricky as they were if he wanted to land any good hits.

Sometimes his target would continued backing away while he slashed at it, and once it was backed into a wall the creature would knock his weapon to the side with its serpentine appendages before countering with an attack of its own. And no matter what he did the beasts just would not stop _moving_; the wolves were constantly running in criss-crossing circles and jumping at him from different angles, which made continuous strikes a deadly problem if he didn't switch up his attack patterns.

Fearing the risk of being floored again, Riku evaded their relentless onslaught with an almost constant stream of dodge-rolls. Luckily the ice was rougher here so could get an adequate amount of traction, and in a few minutes of slashing and yelling he had managed to destroy almost all of the original heartless and injure several of the real wolves. Unfortunately, more unnatural creatures appeared, their pelts simmering with midnight vapors as black as deep jet.

This time they surrounded him in all directions, that agitated clicking sound scraping out of each of their living daggertails which twitched and whipped about in strange patterns through the air. Their chattering notes played tunelessly, an unnerving symphony that quickened its pace into an eerie climax, signaling the end of the standoff. Suddenly Riku was bombarded with twenty lethal whips, all singing as they lashed out at his body at once.

He twisted and spun sharply as they reached out to grapple him with segmented blades, just barley managing to not get sliced to bits. But as he slid away one of the monsters jumped and grabbed his hood in its jaws, ripping at it with its powerful neck to bring him completely off the ground. It spun and then tossed him clear into the wall, and Riku marveled at such brutal strength before feeling his back crash against the unyielding ice. He hastily stood up again, mostly unharmed, only to dive to the ground as another heartless leapt at him. He sliced it right along its underbelly as it hurtled above, then came out of a role to see that a second heartless was about to charge him.

Riku's hand shot out on a reflex, ready to release a gout of smoky azure flame.

But then he blinked, breath catching as he stopped himself, eyes staring wide at the outstretched fingers. Suddenly his mind had been completely derailed with shock, and by the time he glanced back up again he could see nothing but a mass of death black fur that instantly smacked into him like a sledgehammer.

"Aaarrhhh!" cried Riku as a searing, arctic pain exploded in his arm and he was thrown to the floor. Despite his strong grip he lost his keyblade as his other hand crashed into the wall beside him. It clattered across the floor, out of reach. He bared his teeth in a tight grimace, finally opening his eyes to see that the fiendish entity had its fearsome jaws clamped around his arm, a nasty set of incisors puncturing through a gap in the metal of his protective gauntlet. A spurt of crimson stained the demon wolfs teeth. The thing squeezed the armor but it held fast, protecting him from further damage.

Riku could feel the creatures weight holding him down, one great black paw pressed harshly in the center of his chest. Its eyes blazed with burning hostility only inches away, and the sound of approaching footsteps sent a twisting sense of confinement tugging at his gut. He had to get out of here, fast.

The monster glared down unflinchingly, daring him to move. Riku bit back a roar of agonizing pain as it twisted its grip on him, its fangs like cold, cold knives. Summoning all his willpower, Riku stared right back into its eyes and opened his other hand. The winged keyblade disintegrated a few feet away and then reappeared in his grasp, and in one swift thrust he impaled the creature straight through its sternum, the demon wing tip jutting out through the spine.

The nightmare was suddenly stiff, paralytic, and an instant later it lost all solidity and burst into cloud of semi-liquid smoke, spreading out into the air as black dye in water; the flying bits then froze in place as if suspended in time before dissipating entirely. Riku jumped to his feet, passing through the fading fog with wounded arm held close. A pair of heartless slashed at his ankles with their serrated steel limbs and he soared over them, alighting in a crouch and almost slipping again.

A glancing blow traced a flesh-ripping cut on his upper back. Riku flinched at the sharp white fire that flashed through his nerves. He felt something warm bleeding onto his fur coat. That was careless; Riku shook his head to focus his mind, and then replied with a crushing smack right between the offending heartless' eyes. He let his keyblade fly in an arc around him to stun the wolves temporarily, and then made a dash for the hallway leading back.

Riku's sneakers ground into the rough ice as he halted suddenly. He whirled his head around to glance back. Wait, wasn't there something he was forgetting?

His eyes soon met their target - there - that glowing object in the opposite wall. If that star shaped thing was what he though it was, there would be no point in leaving this place without it. "You have got to be kidding me!" he chided himself. He would have to go back and get it. Just as he was about to start barreling through the remaining heartless, however, Riku's ears picked up the sound of somebody approaching from behind.

Head snapping back, he reflexively lashed out with his keyblade. He felt it strike something and, as he looked forward, saw the blade interlocking with the crystal edge of the strange woman's wand like scepter. Brutally, face lacking any sign of sympathy, she pressed the attack with brazen skill and surprising power, the needle like wand dancing in vicious swings as if it were just itching to touch Riku's skin.

The woman absorbed each defensive movement he made, waiting with predatory eyes for any weakness or opening to exploit. Riku stood his ground, ducking and twisting as he exchanged lightning fast blows with her, their eyes never once separating, and as he gazed into those sharp orbs he realized that there was no love there. Not an ounce of softness for anyone or anything. He had seen eyes like those before, and he was only all too good at spotting them.

Finally their duel brought them to a point where both of them had their feet firmly planted on the ground, their wrists guiding their weapons with elegant twists. A moment arrived when both of them struck out at once, wing and wand coiling around each other in a swift embrace that rose tall and pointed at the sky like a sharp spire. The maneuver pulled the two closer together, and the controlled wrath in her eyes made Riku narrow his. In a flash he disengaged, jumping back a few paces as slithering coils of blue light collected at the woman's ankles.

Her lips traced slow, unreadable words into the still air, the syllables coming with only as much subsance as a whisper. Riku turned to see that the wolves continued to growl at him, but now they padded backwards a few feet. He didn't like that. It was as if they were putting some distance between themselves and whatever was about to happen.

Not even a second later he realized that her voice was steadily increasing in volume, while at the same time some kind of rushing sound had begun to drown it out. From somewhere in the farthest recesses of the frozen castle there came a deafening roar of furious wind. It raced towards them, turbulent and heavy like the breath of a giant dragon. _She's summoning a blizzaga storm,_ he thought, just before the howling wind blasted around the corner and smacked right into him.

That fierce woman soon disappeared from his vision as the raging snowstorm streamlined around her body, and Riku had to struggle to keep his footing as the powerful spell almost slapped him into the opposite wall. The sudden blast of chilly air roared in his ears and made them turn blue with its stinging cold. Riku brought up his arms and his Way to Dawn to protect himself, feeling tiny arrows of frost pelt him even through his thick coat. He grunted, enduring the blinding attack that caught in small flecks in his hair and made it whip around violently.

All at once the deafening gust subsided until there was nothing but dead silence. Riku finally opened his eyes to see that the ice had encased him in a roughly egg-shaped prison with very thick walls. On the other side he could discern a slightly distorted image of the strange woman and the fidgety boy, although some of the ice was clouded with frost. The woman sent him a scorching glare that quickly shifted to one of interest as she watched him examine his cage.

Riku rolled his stiff wrist just before striking the frigid barrier with much force, but the ice held fast. He was sure he could escape if he tried hard enough, but he gave a few more attacks only to succeed in making a tiny scratch, then feigned defeat, grimacing as he cradled his aching arm.

_Let them think I'm done_, he thought. _Maybe I'll learn something about this crazy place._

The regal looking woman stood a little straighter, an imperious expression appearing on her face. She wrapped her arm over the wide-eyed boy's neck, almost in a sweet sort of way except that her slender fingers clutched him firmly at the shoulder. "Your half-wit brother, I presume," she uttered as she dipped her head until it was inches from his face. Only Riku's experience with being blindfolded allowed him to pick out the soft words. He also noticed the way Edmund seemed to squirm at her touch, and what she had said must have confused him for the boy now regarded him with questioning eyes.

"You," she addressed in a commanding voice, "Peter, is it? Where are your sisters, child; did they not follow you here?"

The woman's refined accent made her sound rather intelligent, but the words that came out of her mouth might as well have been gibberish. Riku glanced quickly to the side before squinting at the woman, uncomprehending. Peter? He turned to look behind him, but to his bewilderment no one else was there.

His captor seemed to have read his confusion. She looked down on the boy and then back up at Riku. "As the ruler of this realm, you will answer me!" said the woman tersely. "What are you? Are you or are you not a Son of Adam?"

Her voice was partially distorted by the thick shield of ice, but Riku could hear it loud and clear. It was the meaning of the words that was lost on him. Son of Adam? His dad's name wasn't Adam... Still, the lady had begun to finger her deadly sharp wand in irritation, and the longer he refused to answer, he guessed, the hotter her temper might get.

"Look, lady, I have no idea what you're talking about," he tried. "Can't you just let me out of here?" Not that he really expected her to, but it was worth a shot.

"Insolent boy," growled the dwarf in a mean, raspy voice."You will address Her Majesty with the proper courtesy!" He gave a savage crack of his whip, signaling both the wolves and the heartless into an enraged frenzy. The canine heartless made little noise themselves, but their unnaturally large teeth and smoky appendages seemed to amplify the terror induced by the wolves' snarls. The beasts leapt upon the ice as if to attack him, their massive paws leaving jagged gouges in the crystalline surface.

Riku backed slowly away from the wolves, whose numbers made him feel even more trapped in the tiny space, but he could only go a step before he was backed into the curved wall where more of the monsters vehemently bared their teeth at him. It was clearly a move that was meant to make him lose his nerve, but a frigid sharpness in his arm reminded him that he had bigger problems.

Riku squeezed his left arm closer to his body and hissed; it became suddenly very hard to flex his fingers.

"Uh-oh," he grunted to himself.

"Isn't he your brother, Edmund?" the Queen demanded from the boy, but the ear-splitting barks prevented Riku from hearing her.

"What? No," he stammered, "I've never seen him before..."

Jadis, the White Witch regarded Edmund intently for a moment, and then turned her glare on Riku. "Enough, Maugrim," she commanded flatly, sending a quick glance to the fiercest, largest wolf.

Maugrim caught her eye and opened his white and gray muzzle to unleash a bark that made the other wolves sound like puppies by comparison. The beasts settled down, only uttering the occasional whine or growl, and the heartless backed away obediently.

Riku pulled his stiffening arm out of its sleeve, his eyes flaring wide for a second in horror. The entire thing was horribly discolored with a dark purple, almost dead looking hue surrounding the bite mark and subtly tainting the rest of the skin. A bright blue aura emanated from a spiderwebbing network of blood vessels, slowly traveling outward from the point of origin. It was like his veins flowed with sub-zero liquid, and his whole arm pulsated with a paradoxical, icy sensation of burning.

"I see..." said the woman with dispassionate eyes, "Well then. Whether you are a true Son of Adam or not, be you human or otherwise, it hardly matters. The venom in that bite is enough to freeze you from the inside out. Nothing less than the juice of the fire flower can cure you now."

The stocky dwarf grunted and put away his whip, apparently no longer feeling the need to have it out. The boy, whom Riku found oddly curious, only stared on like some lost sheep, obviously having no control over the situation.

Riku tried rubbing the arm and hugging it close, but he could barely feel the heat through his frozen nerves. It was as if his arm were actually draining the warmth from anything it touched. It was so cold... He was becoming afraid that it might already be dead.

"Farewell, then, intruder," said the woman in a silky voice. "You have a few moments to live before the venom clutches at your heart... Some learn too late the consequences of defying their queen..."

He ground his teeth against another wave of bone-deep pain and leaned against the wall for support. Riku had never experienced such a numb ache before in his life; his breathing increased as the icy sensation clawed its way up his arm. He dropped his Keyblade and let it vanish, rifling through his pockets for any kind of mega elixir or something that might help him, but he possessed no such item. He cursed himself for not investing more effort in learning Esuna magicks.

Mind racing, Riku considered his options. Staying put was clearly not a good idea, but even if he did break free, just one more bite from the heartless would seal his fate. He sank to one knee, looking with one eye at how the woman just continued to watch him slowly perish with a casual expression. What kind of sick people were they?

He tried to focus on a plan of escape. Break out, get the star shaped object, don't get bit, but the agonizing pain and stuffy air was doing little to help him think. _Come on..._

"Hhh!" A sharp pain knifed through him like a snake bite. The arm was stiff and heavy, too, and he could not be certain how much longer he had. Riku closed his eyes to clear his mind, so he did not notice at first the strange glow emanating from his arm. Speedily, though, the light grew, catching both his attention and that of those standing outside his cage.

"The armor," he breathed in awe.

His retinas absorbed the sizzling violet glare, the familiar bird like shape inscribed within his gauntlet now shooting rays of light at a blinding frequency. In mere seconds it had filled his egg-like cage with a shimmering, beautiful deep purple that amplified in the faceted ice until it looked as if some magical creature of light were about to burst forth and be born from it. The glassy ice that made up the entire hallway caught the colored luminescence and magnified it with each echoed refraction, growing and growing until there was not one space where any shadow could exist. Blinded, no one but Riku could bear to open their eyes under such an intense glare.

Suddenly, strands of black and white lashed out of his gauntlet like silky ribbons stroking the breeze. They were soft to the touch as they danced, drowsy serpents that coiled slowly about him despite the way his hair blasted energetically all around. Their comforting embrace was soft like liquid feathers, and somehow they slithered past him in complex, untangled patterns that began to culminate into one living, flowing body behind him. Impossibly, the blazing purple light became even brighter, and before he knew it Riku felt as if the air itself screamed with the same power, and some huge ethereal energy was forcing him into the ground as it built up in the small space.

Finally, there was a sharp crack and the frozen prison exploded as if it could contain no more, blazing shards of cold crystal slicing the air as a great beast rose up and spread its wings. Riku, still on his knees, twisted around to behold the majestic creature that towered over him. It reared back its long neck and released a cry that rippled with as much energy as sound, a cry that emitted, in equal parts, both beautifully golden harmonics and wild, savage notes. The wondrous avian stood before him in an oddly formless body comprised of deepest black and brightest white, amoeba-like as parts of it shifted into flowing resemblances of raven and swan.

* * *

Yeesh. Those who read the original chapter know that it was WAY too long. So, I bumped the rest up into a chapter of it's own! Keep reading to see the rest of this scene ^^


	22. Demons

Okay, here were are! For those of you who thought I had updated, PLEASE accept my sincerest apologies! But all of this is merely the end of the last chapter plopped into a chapter of it's own. That's 7,000 words all by itself. Yeah, this really needed to happen.

So, altogether, this is the "Demons and Nightmares" double-chapter.

For those of you who just got here, ejoy ^^

* * *

**Chapter 22: Demons**

Riku gripped his poisoned arm as he stared up. He was so entranced by the creature's liquid purple eyes that he almost did not realize that the armor had grown to encase the entire arm up to the shoulder.

He slowly climbed to his feet, noticing as he did so that beautiful downy feathers ranging from the size of his thumb to the length of a fully grown man fell at his feet. At the gargantuan bird's heart was a spot where the black and white converged into a swirling pool of light and shadow. It stretched its wings in fluid sweeps and then lowered its shifting head close to his. Trapped in its blazing amethyst eyes, Riku found that, somehow, he had no fear of the creature. He sensed its unbridled power almost bursting forth, tempered with an elegant discretion, beauty and ferocity like no other.

It was perfect control. Unity, peace.

Deep inside he felt some kind of irresistible attraction to such a state. He reached out, slowly, to touch the Avian's soft head, and then looked back at the congregation gathered behind him.

The pack of grey wolves paced and barked at him, nipping at each other nervously in the presence of something so great and majestic. Edmund had fallen on his rear end on the floor, and the dwarf was backing away with wonder and fear glinting in his beady eyes. Jadis, however, was motionless as she steadily moved her gaze away from the unnatural creature to glare venomously at him. The blurred forms of the lupine heartless shifted like black smoke all around her, more and more of the monsters taking shape as her feelings of loathing summoned them up.

Riku stared right back at her with his hand resting on the beautiful creature's crown, a surge of confidence swelling up comfortingly inside him. His eyes flickered sharply. "There's only one person I call 'Your Majesty'," he informed her, his lip tugging into a slight smile, "and sorry, it's not you."

The woman's stare grew even more hateful, if that were possible, eyes narrowing at him as she held her wand steadily out to her side. "We will see how long that lasts," she hissed, "when my wolves drag your half-dead carcass as slowly as possible to the coldest cell in this castle. The walls will echo with your screams and whimpering until I hear those words _dragged from your lips, boy!"_

Her last words rose in rage, and with a mere thought she sent the ferocious heartless charging at him without even a hint of hesitation. Creeping dredges of darkness oozed out of the walls, molding themselves together to form flying creatures with scraggly wings and ugly, leech-like mouths. They joined in the attack from the air, four golden eyes distinguishing each them from the blackness that filled up that side of the hall.

Riku climbed aboard the Avain's huge body as it lowered itself, settling on its downy back between its long neck and the joints of its wings. The cold, aching pain pulsed in his arm and brought gasp to his lips, stronger than the last one. Quickly, though, he forced his mind away and sent a feeling of readiness to his mount, and it responded with a shrill, chilling screech before leaping forward with a great flap of its wings.

Heartless were sent crashing away as the massive bird slammed the ground with all its weight. It lashed out with its long flowing tail and crushing wings, its head momentarily becoming entirely raven as it cawed like thunder and pecked several huge dents into the floor. Riku attacked the aerial heartless with Strike Raids to ward them off, but the beasts were extremely acrobatic and were somehow able to slither away from danger like elusive snakes. Three of them twirled around his blade, their inky skin rubbing up against him like cold slime. He was unable to land a hit on them as they spun away and attached themselves to his Avian's head and neck with their sucking mouthpieces.

The majestic bird released a high-pitched roar, wildly swinging its extensive neck into the walls to obliterate the monsters before igniting a stream of white flame from its mouth. Riku could sense its pain and frustration as it failed to destroy the rest of the flying heartless, and his fingers dug into the soft bed of mellifluous feathering underneath as he wondered if the creature was even sentient enough to understand him.

His question was answered an instant later when reared up its head to stare deeply at him, purpose glinting in those starry lavender orbs. Riku recalled all of the impossible abilities Sora had displayed upon his golden lion, so then there must be some kind of trick to this, he thought. "Okay, then," he said urgently. "I'm right here; tell me what to do!"

With that invitation, reality as he knew it rapidly melted into black nothingness. For some reason his eyes were closed, or maybe they were really open but there was no light to see anything with. He couldn't even see his own feet above him, he just knew that he was falling. How or why this was so there was no way to know, but down he fell, faster than gravitationally possible.

In his mind's eye there was a beacon of sorts, a point in the distance that called him. His speed increased exponentially until, with unexpected grace, his fall came to a sudden and gentle halt, and he was floating on a bed of air. Riku willed himself to sit upright, and as he did so there appeared before him an otherworldly manifestation.

With no discernible point of origin there rose two colossal white wings, the majestic arms mysteriously folded inward as if to conceal some manner of secret. Through a crack in the feathered appendages Riku thought he could see an ethereal glow. Just for a brief moment he spied some kind of writhing orb; like a core of compressed energy it spun in sharply confounding patterns, remaining stationary while wisps of light and darkness raced within its depths. Flaring out of this orb were gentle tendrils that seemed to rise and fall in synchronization, but quickly all of this was hid from him as the wings closed completely once again and became like living doors that rustled softly with the breathing of some giant creature.

Suddenly there came a roaring voice bursting from behind the beautiful wings, rather more like a combination of two voices, one that spoke like the soft silver of the shining moon and another like the raging roar of midnight rain. "_I am everything that everything is not. A perfect merging of two clashing forces that naturally seek separation, an intimate marriage of volatile extremes."_ The sheer power of each syllable throbbed in his chest, and he could somehow feel rather than hear the double-tones wrapped up in each word like two separate personalities.

_"Ancient as the stars, my two halves have learned to act as oneflesh. I have decided to grant you sovereignty over this balance, You, who bear the marks left by both shadow and light."_ It paused before stating his name aloud. _"Riku..."_

He breathed shallow breaths of awe as he stared, hypnotized, into the being before him.

_"...Wielder of the Keyblade, whose heart knows the eternal strife between light and darkness... Do you possess the strength to keep this balance in check? Would you accept this power, this peace, at the cost of feeling its separation when I am again concealed?"_

Though the spoken condition registered clearly in his mind, Riku only blinked serenely, his entire body strangely relaxed. It seemed that just being near this amazing force brought him serenity. The beauty of what he saw glinted brightly in his eyes as he answered, "I will."

_"Then be ready!"_ The intensity of the double-voice rose and the shining wings burst open wide. A great gust of wind hit him almost as fast as the tendrils that lashed out of the orb, and in a flash they pierced right through his chest. Riku gasped as a sharp sensation rushed through him, and the voice roared again like a volcano in his mind. _"From now on the names of my abilities will be imparted unto you - call them out and you will find the true power of balance."_

His fists flew to the ghostly tentacle that pulsed like an itch inside his flesh, every joint tense as a massive influx of energy burst through every cavity in his body. To Riku it seemed that every sense was being augmented, and his grasp on the world expanded indefinitely as the being's unlimited knowledge filled his mind far past its normal capacity. The universe grew huge before his closed eyes, and every muscle and organ strained under the weight of the creature that was now injecting its very being into that of his. He endured the transformation until he thought he was going to shatter into a million pieces, and then suddenly it was done and everything seemed to snap into place, and now all that was somehow made perfect sense to him.

The vision before him vanished and Riku relaxed, waiting to be directed back into his normal state. Before he left, however, the voice murmured some last words into his heart.

_"But beware of yourself: be vigilant, know always who you are, and never forget. Ignorance begets failure, which begets doubt, which begets weakness. If you lose your balance in weakness, you will fall..."_

_What do you mean?_ he asked suddenly, unsure of precisely what the creature was alluding to. But without an answer the world of black was pierced with light, and before Riku could react further he found himself perched again on his Avian's back, a huge surge of power sending all nearby heartless flying.

Eyes glinting with new intensity, Riku felt all of himself as he was; all of his power and the possibilities that danced before his thoughts unhindered. He knew his limits and also the will he possessed to surpass them.

Riku's body was outlined in a vivid purple blaze of light as he stood tall behind his counterpart's swan-like neck. He gazed with determination at the burgeoning darkness, a confident smirk lighting his face. Riku shared a glance with the beast with which he was now one and then, without a fear in sight, he launched himself headfirst at the monsters all around, the pain in his arm numbed with his immense excitement.

The heartless did not waste time in rushing back in to consume the Key wielder's heart, and Riku took to the air to hack at the wolves that opened their maws up to attack him. Riku found that he could jump for extended distances, and so he leapt fearlessly right into the masses of darkness that now took up almost all of the floorspace. A thick cloud of those winged creatures swarmed on him like parasitic wraiths, attempting to end his flight with a vicious assault in which they arranged themselves into a massive conical formation. Their wretched, deformed wings shifted out of synch, and their eel like bodies and displaced feathers seemed to choke the very air with pure darkness as they raced eagerly at him.

A counteractive solution popped into his mind and with a simple thought he willed the keyblade to change. First the white angels wing started bursting with light, quickly followed by the rest of the blade until the entire thing shone like a blinding, pure star. Seven silken threads emerged from the tip of the blazing wing, dancing in elegant patterns as Riku lashed out with them like living whips. These wispy cords extended his reach by tenfold, effectively slicing the heartless into fleeting shreds as they slashed and coiled like shining ribbons.

He cleared a path through the center of the heartless, and even as the others converged all around him the incandescent light was visible from the outside just before he blasted out the other end, leaving nearly all of the creatures destroyed. _This is amazing_, he thought to himself. _It's so easy..._

Finally he alighted amongst the shadowy wolves, crouched low to the ground as they roiled into a wild frenzy. Just one slash from Riku's sword ended a dozen of them, and he twirled the seven threads in a circle to shield himself from several attackers at once, and then snapped them back into place without a singe tangle or knot. Riku became like an arrow as he began dashing about, bouncing from wall to wall in a deadly aerial dance while more heartless continued to replace the ones he demolished.

The ground shook as his magnificent Avian stomped forward to flare out its wings and sweep them downward to mercilessly crush the heartless. Rippling, melodious notes blared from the birds throat, and Riku could not help adding his own victorious cry to the wonderful sound.

He fell from the high ceiling, noting how the darkness was swiftly recovering, and with eyes full of fire screamed words of power that seemed to form themselves in his mouth.

"White Aura!"

Like fire mingled with rain the air was torn with blazing white shrapnel. It descend from out of nowhere in small comets that overturned the tides of the darkness infesting the room, shaking the buildings very foundations as violent explosions ignited amongst the heartless. They howled silently as they were quickly consumed in the burning flames, leaving behind small craters of melted ice and steaming water.

Riku destroyed several more, feeling the satisfaction of each shredded wolf despite the absence of hearts that typically rise from ashes of such creatures. Strangely, they were all Pureblood, but that didn't really matter to him. He glanced over at the woman standing not far away. "What was that you said before, something about my screams of defeat?" he taunted, allowing the silvery threads to hover near her like a silent threat.

Jadis showed no sign of fear and did not even flinch. The pool of darkness she was standing in reached out with smoky arms, touching the walls on each end of the hallway before melting into them and seeming to fade away. Suddenly there was a grinding sort of crash coming from behind him, a piercing rumble like that of ripping metal sharply followed by an ear-splitting cry. The horrible sound jarred his senses and he saw the woman's lip curl up into a subtle, one sided smile.

"What was that?" she echoed. "Were you under the impression that this was over, dear boy?"

Riku's head darted around to provide him with a chilling sight. The walls on either side of his Avian had come alive, cracking and stretching as they formed two massive chimera that bit deep into the bird's wings and forced it to the ground. The ice that comprised the still-forming creatures was tainted almost black by the pure darkness that infused it.

The Avian struggled under the chimeras' overbearing weight, gouging deep trenches into the floor with its claws while it wildly swung its head around in fury. It emitted an ethereal river of white hot flame was from its mouth as it thrashed, causing parts of the castle to become deformed while simultaneously demolishing at least twenty more heartless.

Riku dashed to its aid without hesitation, subconsciously cloaking himself in darkness as he was hit with his creature's own fire. The darkness did its job and he passed through unharmed.

The chimera on the left looked down at him as he neared it, the carved lion's head glaring down with empty eyes and baring its teeth ominously. The disturbing goat head that shared a space on the same body continued to bite into the Avian's wing, and an icy snake that had just formed on the lion's tail snapped around to shoot an orb of darkness at Riku.

Rather than having to adjust his speed or roll away, Riku instead decided to just smack the black sphere right back at its caster. The snake head reeled back in shock and then fell limp, stunned. The chimera's eagle wings flapped in irritation, but before the lion head could react Riku leapt high into the air and proceeded to whack away at its face with his keyblade. Small chunks of black ice chipped away under the intense combo, but before he could finish the chimera lifted a deadly, meaty paw and swatted him to the ground.

Riku bit back a gasp as his back collided with the unyielding floor, his head now spinning with the shock and disorientation of the blow. The blinding glow that had encased his weapon faded, leaving the Way to Dawn in its original state. He allowed himself a second to sit up and hold his head. "Great..." he muttered..._now I'm going to have a headache..._

Ignoring the creeping pain that began to blossom in his cranium, Riku rolled back onto his shoulders and kicked himself upright. "Alright, payback time," he announced, rushing back in for more. He avoided another barrage of shadowy projectiles before jumping up and taking another shot at the lion head, his strikes coming at increasingly rapid intervals. Riku looked for an opening as he hacked away, wondering whether he needed some kind of strategy to defeat the heartless or if it was just a classic slice-until-it-dies sort of enemy.

The lion roared in silent aggravation, snatching the keyblade in its jaws and bucking its head in rage, dragging Riku along for the ride. He clung desperately to the hilt of the keyblade as the shock of being flung from side to side threatened to make him lose his grip. The thinner metal of the wing shaped hand guards dug sharply into his wrist, making Riku grimace. The chimera shook him nearly to the point of being numb with nausea, and with all the focus he could muster Riku waited until just the right moment to let go, allowing the momentum carry him high into the air.

In less than a second he had touched down on the ceiling, his previous speed keeping him connected to the ice until finally he kicked off with double the velocity, his winged keyblade reforming in his grasp. "Raaahhh!" he cried, Way to Dawn penetrating deep into the black ice with a sharp splitting sound.

The lion's eyes flashed and it reared its head back in agony, the horns of the goat's head whipping Riku into the wall where a massive black paw held him firmly in place. The young teen gasped audibly as all his strength was drained out of him with the breath that was crushed from his lungs. Completely stunned, he hung limp, eyes sealed as he tried to inhale through the pressure of the paw that kept him pinned. When he was finally able to untangle his thoughts he lifted his head, his vision slowly darkening as he realized that all three heads were charging a massive concentration of energy in their mouths.

Even through the orbs of light-sucking shadow Riku could glimpse his Avian on the other side of the chimera. Now free of the heartless' weight, the huge bird let out a terrifying, raw cry and reached up to bite the arm of the second chimera. The icy monster moved to put more pressure on the Avian's back but the beak that gripped its wrist crunched down harder, sending cracks shooting through its body before a raging burst of white flame caused the entire appendage to explode. Much of the Avian's body shifted into black matter as it rose up and tore into the other beast with beak, wing, and claw.

The colossal chimera crashed to the ground, it attacker shifting its fury to its twin that still had Riku pinned to the wall. Riku felt the shock of the impact as his ferocious partner leapt upon the icy heartless with its talons, steadily pecking deep fractures into its hard body. The chimera lashed its heads out in astonishment, wildly releasing its three beams of charged darkness at the walls and ceiling. The huge paw lifted away and Riku, no longer restrained, rocketed off the wall like a missile towards the thrashing lion head and ripped his keyblade out of its position between the things eyes.

The two massive beasts went down together in a writhing tornado of limbs and feathers. The Avian went straight for the chimeras throat, but the ice was solid and the creature technically did not have to breathe anyway. Riku caught a glimpse of the other chimera rising to its feet, limping with its own weight as it tried to compensate for its lost arm. The Key wielder's aerial path took him straight towards the struggling beast, and he braced himself as he came crashing into its huge, black stained wings.

His mind was jarred out of focus with the trauma of the impact, and he could feel the scraping and shifting of icy feathers underneath his body as he smacked the wing and was flung to the side. The booming and grinding of each colossal footstep roared in his ears, and he struggled to hold on with his one working arm as the beast's erratic movements shook him out of his senses.

_Why won't they just die!? _hethought. No matter. Under normal circumstances Riku would be extremely unhappy with the situation, but here, with his Avian, he felt in control. He squeezed his eyes shut, searching for a place of calm as he labored against inertia to pull himself into a crouching position. His mount snapped at him with all three of its enraged heads and did everything it could to throw him off. Finally, as the wing lifted upward he kicked away, flying high above like a clumsily thrown football.

An inner light set Riku's eyes aglow as he righted himself in midair, stretched his arm towards the ground and shouted with a burning heart, "Flashbang!"

Suddenly there was a swarm of bright tendrils snaking down from his arm, feeding into a massive white flare that built up in his palm until, with a loud, rippling hum, it exploded and set the whole room ablaze with light. The army of darkness below shrunk away from the sheer intensity of the blast, and Riku's magnificent bird gazed up, the entire upper side of its body shifting to white so that its darkness could hide beneath.

Riku fell as the light refracted all around, calling the huge swanlike creature up to catch him. It pumped its wings and sunk its claws deep into the icy wall for adequate purchase, catching him with its head. He received an urgent feeling from the Avian that told him it would not be wise to hang around for much longer. Clutching the feathers on it's neck, he stared down at the recovering chimera. It would be nice to just light this whole place up, but... His eyes flicked to the kid who stood close behind Jadis in fear. It looked like he was just going to have to finish this some other way.

The chimera picked themselves up off the floor, easily reaching to almost his height in the huge hallway. "Alright then," he smirked, thoroughly enjoying the thought of his next move. Riku leapt away from the bird's huge head, completely disregarding how high he was as he angled himself into a reckless dive, his words ringing with determination as he screamed, "Wings of Salvation!"

His Avian rushed towards him in obedience, and like a creature made of thread it unwound itself, surrounding him in the black and white ribbons that had once heralded it's arrival. Riku felt the pressure from where the growing appendages gripped onto his back, swiftly forming themselves into ethereal bones, formless flesh and feathers that stretched out gracefully behind him. He kept the black, foreign arms tucked back as he fell, racing against all reason at the icy floor.

Just when he would have collided with the cold, hard ground and broken every bone in his body, a small puddle of darkness formed - and swallowed him up.

All eyes in the room were left to wonder in shock where he could have gone so suddenly, but not even a second passed before that mystery was solved. Bolstering with incredible speed, Riku shot up out of the spreading darkness directly underneath one of the chimeras. A surge of dark purple energy surrounded him, launching the heartless into the air where Riku unloaded a flurry of ferocious attacks. One, two, three, four! Again and again without pause. He slashed at the creature from every angle, warping several times per second to various places of its body.

Finally, with wings spread wide he fell down once again, shredding the chimera one last time as he disappeared into the ice with dark feathers fluttering in his wake. The colossal heartless remained completely rigid before bursting into huge fragments of tainted ice, and in its place blossomed one large, bright pink heart that ballooned up through the high ceiling.

A second later he appeared again, rising once more from the solid ice. A circle of white fire followed him out of the shadows, cresting the second chimera in a brutal attack that took the shape of an "x". He proceeded to unleash a barrage of strikes and slashes that accompanied him in a dance of dizzying flips and artful twirls. The beat was alive as he teleported around the black monster, the pounding of his heart keeping perfect time with an alternating pattern of slashes and thrusts. Finally Riku halted before the beast and extended his arm out to the side. His keyblade began to emanate a beautiful light blue aura, and then it extended into a sword that must have been five times its original length as he brought it down into an unstoppable slice. He did it again.

_Again._

_Again._

And then Way to Dawn phased back to normal, and Riku brought his wings up to protect himself as the heartless exploded into a burst of corrupted crystal, and one large heart floated away to freedom.

For a moment Riku flapped awkwardly to fight gravity, but then his Avian forced a separation and resumed its usual form behind him. He bent low as he hit the ground and then glance up at the inconsistent entity above. The Avian swiftly whirled about to deflect a swarm of demented flying monsters with a mighty swat of its wing and a rippling gout of white fire. It let out a melodious shriek as it spread its wings wide to encompass the entire width of the hallway, and with proud eyes it began to combat the growing army of dark creatures, its beak tearing through any heartless that came near it.

A few tricky ones spiraled in and bit down into the creature's wings and shoulders. It briefly lit itself aflame to reduce them to fading dust, and then sent a pointed glance at Riku.

The teen blinked before nodding in silent agreement. "Right, gotcha," he said, turning around and sprinting back down the dead-end corridor. He reached the wall and leapt up to the gently shimmering star, somehow feeling like he knew exactly what to do.

There he paused, ignoring the force of gravity altogether as he hovered in the air, arms crossed over his chest in concentration. His connection with the magical Avian pulsated powerfully inside of him, bursting at the seems with barely contained strength. He reached only deep enough to get what he needed, knowing that this attack was incredibly destructive and it required the utmost control in order to give it useable form. The deep purple glow around his body intensified into a blazing aura, and is limbs were tense and trembled slightly with the willpower needed to break such an ability down into a weaker version.

Finally, Riku's eyes flared wide. A raging whirlwind gradually took shape, roaring around him and causing his hair to surge uncontrollably, and with two words he unleashed all his stored up power.

"Chaotic Maelstrom!"

From either outstretched hand burst forth huge blasts of concentrated energy, one discharge of white combustion and another of dark, crimson flame the likes of which he had never seen before. With steady calculation he coaxed the two jets of fire until they were both angled at the icy wall with the force like that of an igniting rocket ship. The wall ripped and rumbled loudly, steaming and sputtering as layers of it were instantly vaporized and chunks of ice began to dislodge themselves with violent force. The white vapors, surprisingly hot, impeded Riku's vision as they gushed out and were blown around by the wind surrounding him like a hurricane.

Guessing at his progress, Riku gradually reigned in the escaping power until the beams disappeared and he could finally get a look at the damage he'd caused. The steam cleared, revealing a massive hole gouged into the blue ice with messy ripples, and rivers of clear water bled out as from a wound. There, dancing with shimmering elegance over the glittering liquid was the mysterious, intricate bronze star.

Beautiful, blazing azure photons escaped from gaps in the ancient metalwork, floating gently out before surrounding the object in a hypnotic aura. The thing appeared to disregard friction and air resistance, spinning on and on without end while its many points circumvented the things inner core. Riku could not help staring transfixedly as the blue light flashed at his presence, and a second later the same glimmering radiance traced a circular pattern into the air before him. The graceful dragonfly perched upon winged weighing scales confirmed his suspicions, and without a moments hesitation he thrust his hand into the intricate crest and took hold of the star on the other side.

The jagged star tips halted in their dance as his fingers gripped them tightly. The disturbance caused the object to cease its wanderings, pausing in repose while the Arcadian seal transformed into circular rune like markings that raced around Riku's hand before dispersing. He grunted in surprise when the star inexplicably began to shudder, humming animately in his grasp while the mystic glow coming from it intensified tenfold. Like from a live grenade the light exploded uncontrollably, and Riku's eyes were forced shut as a crushing sensation compressed itself around him. He felt as if he were being squeezed in a massive vice while simultaneously vibrating at a frequency too sickening for a normal human body to endure.

The blinding, unnatural light seemed to phase right through his eyelids and into his mind, and with it came a voice. Whatever was locked inside of that star spoke directly into his consciousness, its words carrying the inflections of ancient knowledge and high curiosity.

"Here have I stayed under the will of the highest power, abiding so many eons of mundane solitude so that, finally, I might emerge once more at your coming."

Riku held on with all his will, his breath long forced out of him by the crushing embrace.

"You sought me out, and here I am..." the voice chuckled slowly. "Now, we shall soon see what you are capable of, hmm, Riku?"

And then it all stopped.

Riku's whirlwind subsided and he collapsed on the ground. Finally freed from the spacial distortion, his mind raced as the oxygen was allowed to rush through his lungs in rapid breaths. His eyes remained fixated on the dormant metallic star in his grasp. Slowly, gradually, the roars and and crashes of battle reached his ears with progressive clarity, and he remembered. Newly aware, Riku carefully placed the object in his pocket and then stood on unsteady feet.

And an instant later he came crashing back down with his right hand clutching the other. A silent scream was stolen from his lips as his violet-ringed eyes stretched wide. He was curled over his knees with his head low to the ground, unable to comprehend the sheer, cold agony stabbing its way up his arm. A violent shudder wracked up his body.

With eyes sealed shut Riku let out a pained breath, trying to force a few steadying heaves of air. When he could move he lifted one knee and twisted his torso around so he could see his Avian. The creature turned it's starry purple orbs to regard him intently.

_Come,_ he commanded.

The ever-shifting bird took flight and sped faithfully in his direction. It swept down gracefully and alighted behind him with wings outstretched, apparently not weighing as much as before. It then bent low and tucked it's neck around his body, wings folding so that they encompassed the two. And then, bit by bit, the Avian disintegrated, splitting up into hundreds of smaller ravens that rose up together as if one body. Soon both it and Riku were gone, fused into a cloud of pitch black birds who's darkest shadows took on the form of Riku's silhouette.

The rippling mass of feathers stared down, two red eyes bursting ominously to life within the shadowy figure before dividing themselves into the many smaller bodies that comprised it. Suddenly the cloud shifted like a tongue of flame, raining black feathers as it shot off like a torpedo down the hallway.

The army of darkness rose against it, but the ravens swirled above the wolves and broke formation to avoid the aerial monsters. With such incredible swiftness it had reach the corner in seconds, and before it left, focused its many sets of eyes on Edmund. The boy fell to the ground out of fear, staring back up at the unsteady flock as it paused briefly.

The moment ended and Riku took off once again, blazing through the maze of frozen hallways at unbelievable speeds, searching for a way to escape. He felt so disembodied, as if his body were merely as substantial as a pillar of smoke with no definite shape. He found that he could streamline himself into a thin trail of ravens if he wished it, or move them into any shape he needed. Because his consciousness was divided up amongst the many ebony birds, it was far too difficult to keep up with all their movements if he were to separate with himself for very long. The more compact they were, the more held together he felt.

Like a swirling arrow he raced through hallways at random, wing beats as furious as a storm. The hundreds of red eyes desperately sought out an exit, a window or a door of some kind. Some of the ravens scraped up against the walls or ceiling as they turned, and so fast was the formless body that it left behind a rush of turbulence that could even uproot trees.

He made a hard left, a vicious right, hurtling down the corridor until - there! At last he found something, a door, a very large one adorned with intricate ice carvings. Gathering his thoughts together, Riku brought the ravens in close and concentrated on moving them towards one of the double doors. He paused, littering the floor below with feathers, waited a moment, and then rammed the door. He summoned up a dark shield to protect the fragile birds, and with a deafening boom they punched the ice. Not quite producing the results he wanted, he did it again, and again, and with one final push he forced the gates apart. Riku maneuvered the birds carefully through the narrow gap, eventually recollecting himself in what appeared to be a snowy outer courtyard.

From what he could glimpse before taking to the sky as fast a possible, the place seemed to be decorated with dozens of incredible stone statues with no discernible order or pattern. Not bothering to try and bust through the final, massive door ahead, Riku rose high above the castles outer wall, picked a direction, and focused on getting as much ground between himself and that icy domain.

* * *

Far away from the twin mountains that guarded the White Witch's castle, the dark, silent trees of Narnia watched as the gloomy sky divulged into a black storm of pumping wings and cawing crows. The trail of Midnight Wings rushed towards the flawless white below, circling low before, as if in a violent fit, finally crashing one by one in a steep dive that met the snow headfirst.

The suicidal birds piled together into a mass of shadow, melting into am oily figure that took shape just as that blackness became bright purple. The light grew as powerful as the sun, and slowly the tornado of jet black down took on the same glow before gradually vanishing, and the violet energy flowed back into the metal armor from whence it came.

Riku opened his eyes to see that he had been deposited on a sheet of undisturbed snow. He remained kneeling with his lifeless arm hugged close to his stomach, trying vainly to suck in enough oxygen with deep breaths that burned his throat in the winter air.

Where was he? Riku found that he had no answer. He could trust his sense of direction to know where the castle was, directly behind him of course, but that was about all he knew. He remembered...flying blindly, willing himself on until he was forced to land... And now...an indescribable weight that made his muscles weak and forced his lungs to work this way.

Eventually he pulled himself to his feet, staggering over to the nearest tree and falling several times along the way. By the time he reached it the snow had found its way into his shoes and gloves. Even some of his hair had gotten wet.

He collided with the tree and collapsed along its trunk, curling himself up as an involuntary shiver wracked his entire body. The black ends of his scarf were splayed out on the snow on either side of him like broken wings. He tried to wipe his nose on his furry jacket, but it had already become cold and moist. Teeth chattering, Riku could tell that the poison had spread to his shoulder, but, oddly, he only felt his eyelids growing heavier with each passing second.

He knew better than to close them, to give sleep a chance to take hold. He knew better than that.

But still, as the tranquil night settled around him and the snow glowed ever so slightly in the darkness, Riku's head slumped to the side as he was quickly and mercilessly dragged into a state that could hardly be called conscious, somewhere between sleep and awakening, where all his senses were muted. He felt as if he were surrounded by a choking fog that clouded his mind, constricting around him tighter and tighter like a coiling serpent. He was weak in its grasp. Before long it was over, and Riku was smothered in a warm, peaceful embrace.

* * *

Darkness is so vast. Is is so incomprehensibly deep, so cold and consuming that few know it for what it truly is. It has the ability to creep subtly into even a wariest of hearts, and the sheer magnitude to shatter one's will without resistance. It moves and it grows...and it lives. It thinks.

And from it all hearts are born.

Within Darkness, certainly there is light, but at its true core there is only Deepest Darkness, a void so black that it stains all that it touches. What is beyond that cannot be fathomed, but one thing that is certain by anyone who has ever looked at a simple shadow is that nothing separates Darkness from Light but the finest of lines. So easily the lightest of beings fall...so jealously does the darkness keep its hold on them.

No one knows darkness' true power, but that never stopped him from trying.

A pair of startling amber eyes ignited in the blackness, awakening from a long slumber. The man slowly turned his head, calmly scrutinizing his surroundings. He was already held upright, entirely surrounded by a haze of liquid like darkness. His arms seemed to disappear into the void as they spread out on either side of him, and his waist was similarly cut out of sight as if he were wading through a pool of oil.

Grunting quietly, he tried to pull his arms away, but the darkness held them fast. Though he could not feel the clutch of metal chains he knew that he had been restrained, a prisoner in this place locked so deep down, in a space buried at the very bottom of a heart.

He knew exactly where he was.

Glancing up, the man noticed a strange filmy substance rippling in front of him like melted silver. It glimmered with the velvety flawlessness of mercury, a vertical looking-pool hovering by itself in the dreamlike chamber. On it was the image of a world of white - a window into the outside world - and there in the center lie a sleeping boy who was inches away from yielding to the consuming cold.

He frowned scornfully at the sight. How vulnerable this vessel had become.

His lips parted so he could speak aloud.

* * *

_... You were always such a weakling. You never had the strength to resist me, and you can barely keep yourself alive..._

Riku's eyebrows twitched sluggishly.

He felt as if he were floating in the waters of a serene pool, where dreams came and went through his mind so easily. He had remained passive while they caressed his mind, but now something had disturbed the tranquility, and he was ever so slowly rising. A light grew brighter as he was carried like a bubble through the water, until finally he opened his eyes just a crack.

There in front of him he could swear stood a darkly clad figure, an unfamiliar silhouette that cast an eerie vibration echoing through his mind. It faced him, unmoving. Black boots, a hood...

Riku groaned quietly and closed his eyes, and when he looked again it had vanished. Just like a shadow, gone.

It was probably just a dream, he reasoned.

He slowly regained his senses, and then instantly wished he hadn't. He felt nothing but a horrible, bitter cold. There was no warmth to cure his numbness, just a cruel chill that stabbed him on every centimeter of his body, pricking his face with needles of frost. Riku ground his teeth against the agonizing pain, unable to stop them from chattering as he breathed in. He tried to bring his head around to check on his poisoned arm, but already his neck had practically become petrified.

Riku cursed himself: he was quickly being overwhelmed. Already it was getting painfully harder to breathe...

_Riku..._

The voice whispered clearly in his mind, a deep and rich, velvety voice that sent a cold shiver right through him. He pleaded with himself, hoping that he was imagining it and that maybe the shiver had just been caused by the frigid air.

_... Are you afraid, Riku? One should think that you would have accepted me all that time ago, we are so alike..._

It took all his will to force his mind into control. _Get out of my head!_ he demanded.

_Hmph. As I thought..._ intoned the voice. _You still detest the darkness, even when it holds the power to save you._

_It's not the darkness I hate..._ Yet the accusation rang like a bell in his mind. _I was an idiot to ever use your powers. I won't take anything you have to offer me, not even now_, thought Riku adamantly.

_Because of that silly knight? Fool boy. Your hesitation is pathetic._

The icy sensation gnawed at his ribs. Riku moaned weakly, his eyes fluttering shut. _Shut up... _he thought.

_You must use the Darkness. It will be your salvation._

_I don't...need..._

_Yes you DO,_ it commanded, more forcefully.

A ball of dark blue flame erupted in his palm. Riku looked down at it, watching the scalding flames lick harmlessly at his skin. He had the urge to move it, to bring it closer to his freezing body. But could he? Use his fire on himself?

_...You want to see them again, don't you? _

"..."

It took Riku a long moment to respond. Finally a decision registered in his mind. He closed his eyes. His joints were locked so tight from shivering that he thought they were going to snap. He moved his arm, another breath of chattering teeth escaping him.

_You know the best way to do it..._

Riku's jaw was so tense it hurt. A terrible yearning for warmth consumed his thoughts. The little orb of flame pulsed with energy as it was carried closer to his chest...

Riku stared into its light one last time...and then forced it right into the skin. The blistering heat turned a portion of his shirt to ash before stopping at the abnormally cold flesh. He gnashed his teeth and pressed harder, the small fireball sending out showers of sparks as it drilled gradually deeper. Riku felt the intense burning in stark contrast to the gripping cold. It was as if his veins had been filled with kerosene and allowed to catch fire.

His breath caught in his throat while he endured the sensation; it hurt, but in such a strange way that he didn't want to stop. The ghostly light dimmed as the fire began to disappear, and he heard a thunderous thumping sound like frantic drums originating from... somewhere inside. His heart... But suddenly a blast of heat exploded into his arm and throughout his body, and the snow around him steamed and melted.

Riku relaxed, his breath coming out in torrents that made the air in front of him ripple and smoke. His eyelids drooped. From his toes to his ears he had never felt so warm. The voice grunted contemptuously before fading away entirely. Exhausted and comfortable, Riku could not help but to allow unconsciousness to sweep over him once again.

* * *

Interesting, what just happened... I'll let you figure it out for yourself if it isn't already glaringly obvious. }:D

Also, Riku's creature is officially called the Avian of Night and Day, a much longer name than Sora's Divine Leo, which is why I didn't write the whole thing out. Lol, Riku ended up taking the majority of this chapter, haha...

Did my best with that crazy White Witch. We'll see if I can do more than just the lines she has in the movie... So if you're going to review about anything, please include feedback on that... and maybe anything else interesting you noticed }:D

Shoutouts go to Hawk Rider, Crystal4458, and Cheyenne for reviewing. You three are very awesome, and I treasure you all xD

Lastly, just letting you guys know that I no longer "control'' every aspect of this story. I'm not making fun crap up just because I want to; every action and reaction should evolve naturally from the characters, like it has been for the past few chapters. I merely control how I write it. This should make the story way more interesting and have less plot holes, which = better experience :D

On that note, see you guys next time!


	23. Night of Blue Shadow

Agh... So...much...homework! Seriously, can't they cut me a break O'_'O? Anyway, that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it, so you can send all your hate mail to my teachers if you want xD I'll give you their freaking address just to screw around...

Well, my writing style changed again, slightly. It's all thanks to me reading probably the best book series ever for the second time: Incarceron and its only sequel, Sapphique. BEST BOOK EVER, I tell you! Go to freaking Barnes and Noble and buy the dang thing, it's worth it!

So yeah, have fun with that ^~^ I'm hoping that this will make Narnia more immersive, yay. xD Just remember that most of these scenes take place BEFORE Riku's confrontation with the Witch.

Right, well, you all know this movie...so the dialogue won't be as new to you as Treasure Planet's. Meh, I'm switching things up, but I can't change EVERYTHING. Why? Because I can't. Deal.

Oh, right, I almost forgot. Yes everyone, I own Kingdom Hearts and all Disney movies that appear in this fanfic. All characters, symbols, and other elements of the franchise are mine. (Infinite sarcasm) Have a good day. ^^

* * *

**Night of Blue Shadow**

Deep, faceless shadows surrounded the small group like a tattered cloak, staring as the figures made their way up the powdered incline, most of them hugging their coats close to their faces for warmth. The air was cool but at least no longer accompanied by a chilly breeze. Ardeo's hypnotically bright violet eyes glowed with an eerie vibrance as they reflected even the weak starlight peeking in through the clouds above. The dragon had his head poking out of the fur in Skyra's coat, and he began to make soft throaty warbles as a shout and several voices were heard up ahead.

Skyra quelled him with her hand, however, as they neared the final tree line, beyond which stood what appeared to be somewhat of a rise that overlooked a distant structure with many sharp spires. The group quickly hid themselves behind the dark trees to observe what was happening a few meters away. Ardeo pricked up his slender ears to better understand the panicked conversation.

"Edmuuuund!" screamed the tallest one, a male youth wearing a long thick coat. He charged ahead of the others, towards the faraway castle before pausing at the snow-glazed ridge.

"Shh!" hissed the beaver behind him, harshly, "They'll hear ya!"

Before any of the prying travelers could respond to that, however, the boy bolted at the castle. The beaver sent a shocked glance at the boy before roaring, "Noo!", rising up on two legs and diving for his cloak, snatching it and struggling to force the teen to stop.

"Get off me!" he demanded.

They watched as the dark furred animal let go and stood upright. "You're playing right into her hands!" he hissed in agitation. He upturned his palms incredulously, shaking the paws for emphasis. The second beaver nodded, apparently worried.

Kairi glanced at Sora, then back at the five strangers. A sense of wonderment filling her eyes. She just couldn't believe that beaver was actually talking!

Just a few paces behind the boy were two girls of different ages. The older girl wore an expression of sharp intelligence, eyes flared. "We can't just let him go-" she said.

"He's our brother!" exclaimed the smaller girl. Her voice was high, hinged on fearful dismay.

"He's the _bait_!" retorted the beaver, pausing as if in attempt to transfer the gravity of the statement into their minds. "The Witch wants all four a' ya!"

"Why?" questioned the boy, dark eyes squinted in confusion.

"To stop the prophesy from comin' true," the sentient mammal spoke each word in grave clarity, "... To kill ya!"

Each of the three humans was struck with silence. A soft whispering draft brought with it a brief, frozen bite. The company crouching in the shadows said nothing as a distant figure - Sora assumed it was their brother - wandered into the confines of the icy castle. Two massive doors ground shut behind it, locking in the cold light that had escaped through the gap.

Finally someone broke through the stiff silence. It was the oldest girl; she sent the boy a scornful glare. "...This is all your fault," she accused in scalding words.

"All _my_ fault?!"

"None of this would have happened if you had listened to me in the first place!"

"Oh, so you_ knew_ this would happen?" countered the boy sardonically.

"I didn't know what would happen..." she said, lower. Then, "which is why we should have left while we still could!"

"Stop it!" cried the smaller girl, cutting off the boy's retort. "This isn't going to help Edmund..."

Sora could not see her face, but he could tell by her tone that the girl wore a pleading look. He wondered if maybe they should offer to help bring back their brother. They seemed like okay people, well, minus all the yelling, of course. Despite his interest, Sora snuggled his face into his furry arm to take away the frigid sting that had formed there.

"She's right," the beaver's sober voice drifted into Sora's perception. He continued, saying, "Only Aslan can help your brother now."

_Aslan?_ Sora wondered vaguely, eyes still scrounged tight. _Hmm, sounds really important..._

No sooner had these thoughts touched his mind, however, when a sharp grunt and a piercing scream stabbed the placid night, followed by the stirring of his friends' bodies around him. A sudden rush overtook his senses, and he knew before he looked. Even still, the sight struck him as he lifted his flaring eyes and saw the black bodies everywhere.

"Heartless," hissed Roxas beside him. A warped sound like rushing wind accompanied by a glimmering flood of light announced his keyblades' arrival. Their radiance glinted intensely in the Nobody's blue eyes.

Sora glared at the wolf-like nightmares that had come from the direction of the castle. The beasts thrashed about in the clearing, heedlessly shoving aside the human boy and falling upon the beavers with overwhelming force. They encircled the defenseless prey, effectively cutting off any escape. One dragged the shrieking, struggling girl through the snow by the scruff of her coat. Panicked shouting filled the crisp air, throwing Sora's senses on full alert and making Ardeo cry out before delving into Skyra's coat.

In no more than an instant Sora had his keyblade out and was hurtling head-on into the fray, Roxas hot on his heels.

"Guess there's no choice now," muttered Skyra, knives drawn as she went in after Kairi.

The Kingdom Key sliced through the winter night, brutally impaling one heartless in the face and making another stagger. It retreated back to its wielder in a glimmer of silver moonlight. Sora's fingers clutched again around its hilt and he barreled through the first heartless with a powerful lunge that utilized his keyblade like the blades of a windmill.

The black creature was knocked away and Sora flicked his eyes about in an effort to see his enemies. Roxas darted by him with swift footsteps and controlled slashes of his weapons. Even through the faint white glow of the fallen snow it was difficult to decipher the agile shadows. They dashed all around, melding with each other and the dark tree line. An odd flash followed each one, and it was with shock that Sora realized it was really their strikingly white fangs that conflicted violently against the void of their fur.

If not for that they would have truly appeared as blotches of ghostly emptiness, jagged holes ripped into the night air.

"Donald," he called, "give us a light!"

He heard Donald quack, and a short second later a burst of flame ignited above the battlefield. The red glow hovered like a flickering eye, making the snow turn orange, and the wolves were like smoke against the hot glare. Sora barely even got enough time to take in the sight before a heartless tackled him with crushing force, its steps so silent that it was on him without warning and he was unable to swerve away.

And so he flew, gasped, massive claws jammed into his ribs until he landed with a rush of breath. The beast's face was a deep shadow set before the red light above, only the small yellow eyes were visible, glaring with wrathful intensity as its jaws clamped around the raised keyblade. Sora ground his teeth as the air escaped his lungs, and then his eyes grew wide as the heartless gnawed and pressed the keyblade harder towards his face. An icy tingle of fear raced down his spine and without thought he quickly kicked his feet into the creature's fur, pumping his legs hard, launching it into the sky.

Horror still written on his face, he extended his arms, thrusting the blade straight up. "Fire!" he screamed, unleashing several balls of flame directly above him. The projectiles exploded on the black beast, so bright that Sora went blind, and the wolf writhed in crooked jerks as it fell to the ground in a crumpled mess only a few meters away. It rolled to its feet, apparently surviving the fall, but the lingering fire ate greedily away at whatever energy it had left, and it disintegrated.

For a minute Sora only stared up, dark spots invading his vision as his optic nerves tried to restart themselves. Then he shot into a sitting position. For a brief moment he watched how the wolves circled and attacked in groups of two and three. He was happy, at least, to see Kairi fighting close by Donald and Goofy, who parried the oncoming barrage of attacks with spells and shield. The other humans and the beavers did not even seem to understand what was happening, just that there was fire and that people were fighting the midnight predators.

Roxas had taken some the wolfs' attention away from the other teenage boy. The stranger shakily pulled himself to his feet, hardly paying any attention to the dripping slash running down his left cheek.

"Peter!"

The shrill cry snapped the boy's attention to the struggling girl being steadily dragged towards the castle. He made a desperate sprint to reach her. "Lucy!" he screamed, but his progress was cut short when a second heartless jumped in front of him. It snarled silently, whipping about the jagged razors that extended like tendrils from its shoulders, making the boy jolt to a stop. The wolf held its ground and he froze despairingly, helpless to save the girl.

But then, suddenly, a knife glinted with a flash at it appeared in the forehead of the beast. It recoiled before fading into smoke and the boy stared, wide-eyed and not even checking to see where it had come from - and then bolted again past it. He closed in upon the lone wolf and with a reckless fury slammed into it in a full-body tackle. The thing released Lucy and rolled through the scuffed snow, jaw snapping and body writhing in rage.

The boy, whom Sora understood was called Peter, clung to the dark fur with frozen fingers, eyes shut tight as the bladed whips thrashed above his head. Sora jumped to his feet just as one gripped Peter and sent him rolling away with a new line of ripped fabric in his coat, and then the wolf was upon him in an instant.

_No you don't!_ thought Sora, kicking out his legs with desperate force, trying to pump faster through the shin-deep snow.

The heartless held the squirming boy down with an overlarge paw crushing one shoulder deep into the ground. Peter fought to keep its face away from him, but the thing was just so much bigger and it seemed enraged to the point of just losing control and digging out his heart with tooth and claw.

"Peter!" shouted the girl again. Frustrated, she could think of nothing to do but toss her shoes at the black monster; they bounced away ineffectively. Peter grunted between strained breaths, evidently trying not to lose his sanity with those practically neon white incisors gnashing above his face.

_Dang it; no time!_ thought Sora. He slid to a stop and aimed the keyblade at the black shadow that seemed to absorb the orange light blazing from above. _Hope this works_ - he considered the possibility that the boy might also get hit... "Fire!"

The magical flame ignited at the keyblade's end, and for a moment great star tips of light slashed Sora's vision before the firebolt was released with a crackling whoosh. When the purple blotch faded from his sight the next thing he saw was the nightmare wolf lying a few feet away from its almost-victim. Grotesque, it reared its head to flash golden eyes on him, part of its body set aflame and convulsing in agony. Then, as if to shake it away, the thing charged at Sora with crimson claws extended and white teeth bared.

How utterly swift and lithe was its path toward him; its movements were so perfectly coordinated that Sora could barely comprehend its speed, but at least this time he was ready. It loped at him, muscles rippling in unison, then feinted left before darting right and pouncing with its body outstretched, blades aimed forward.

It was a purely offensive maneuver, made for instant killing, and Sora felt a small breath rush out of him as he swerved under it, twisted, and slashed sideways. The impact registered and he spun, fearful of a counterattack, as the wolf's black crashed into the white. It even fell gracefully, shifting like a formless shadow as it collapsed and began sliding back to its feet, but Sora turned on it without hesitation and unleashed a relentless flurry of blows. He struck with savage fury, knowingly becoming rather like an animal himself because, as he said to himself hundreds of times, _one of us is going to die and it's not going to be me._

He slashed so hard and fast that the heartless could barely react. Its wicked tendrils jerked with the shock of each strike, but finally it gathered its wits and snatched the keyblade, holding it low with new malice. Breathless, unblinking, Sora did not hesitate but instead planted a kick right at its throat and sent it flying.

The monster tumbled on its back, tentacles cutting the air in a wild, maddening frenzy. Sora rushed forward, leapt with his Kingdom Key raised high above his head, and felt the weapon sink down through black flesh and into the snow beneath. His eyes were shut tight but he felt the creature go suddenly still, its whole body rigid beneath him. Next it faded in a rapid dispersal of smoke and he fell through it...and slowly, with gradual clarity, the surrounding sounds of battle reminded him to stand as the blackness disappeared.

He took two breaths and then turned back toward the strangers, pacing over to see that the younger girl was embracing Peter. He was still on the freezing ground, shaking slightly, his face quite pale. Both were breathing hard, as if trying to exhale the built-up terror inside them.

Thinking of how horribly cold it would be to lie in the snow, Sora said quickly, "Are you okay?"

"...I think so," breathed the boy. "Thanks."

The girl...Lucy, Peter had called her, let go of her brother and gazed up at him with frightened eyes, a few tears visible on her face. "Who are you?" she said in a small voice, but just then someone yelled from the direction where most of the action was taking place. "Susan!" she called back, and the boy had to hold her back by the arm.

"I'm Sora. Stay with me and I'll get you guys out of here," he offered.

They nodded hurriedly; following close behind him as he made way towards the dashing shadows that surrounded the others like sheep dogs. Vicious, killer sheep dogs with dagger tail whips and bloodwrath in their eyes. The wolves quickly converged upon them, but Sora's Reflectaga spell destroyed a few and repelled the rest.

...

Meanwhile, Roxas had found himself completely surrounded by what he could only describe as a nightmarish convection of swirling wrath. Innumerable black-furred shadows crisscrossed in confusing patterns around him, the wolves in constant motion so that his eyes could never follow any one of them for more than a second. Their flashing white teeth flared with each stride, trailing like moving flashlights in endless circles.

He glared at them, brandishing his own set of teeth as well. He flicked his contrasting keyblades irritably, then did it again, using their familiar weight to help focus his mind. The Nobody set his gaze straight ahead, eyes slightly lowered, and began relying on his other senses for the moment he knew was coming. There would be a shift, he thought, some indication of attack...

He crouched, blades held at the ready.

The veritable tornado of umbral monsters swirled, spun, harmonizing in near-silent footfalls, until the short seconds collided and then it happened. Unexpectedly, they came from the front. Three at once, twelve massive paws ravaging the cratered, pocket-marked snow as they zigzagged towards him. Roxas tensed and raised Oathkeeper, instantly conjuring up a counter maneuver in his head.

But it was as he prepared for the onslaught that he noticed something else. It was a whisper of a sound, just a barely perceptible frequency that he caught between mere fragments of a second. It made him shudder, made his blood run cold because he realized that these heartless were more than just above-average strategists.

_These things...they're..._

He half turned, sapphire eyes growing wide as they met yet another blurry black shadow. It took a straight path at him with paralleled tendrils aimed forward. A killing rush.

_They're..._

He frantically readjusted his keyblades.

_...intelligent!_

...

Skyra spun and twirled away, just managing to avoid a charging wolf by the skin of her teeth. It sent its cruel blades whip lashing sideways and she leapt into a backflip, releasing a knife at her attacker just before landing. It glinted through the cold air, but Skyra hissed when it only pierced the creature's thick neck. The wolf staggered but recovered quickly and whipped its blades around, stalking closer. It was almost too late when Skyra heard the other wolf coming.

She bent into a crazy somersaulting dodge, feeling something nick her shoulder, hating the numbing cold she had to roll through. Her fingers fumbled with a pair of knives, stiffly flinging them out. Only one met its mark; the heartless with two knives stuck in it vanished.

Skyra whipped out two daggers and crouched low. They were dashing all around her, cutting her off. _This is stupid_, she thought. Ranged tactics were barely working.

The one in front pounced and she lunged, blade high, letting out a savage growl through her teeth. The front paws reached out on either side of her, but she drove the dagger into its skull and it collapsed in a black heap. Then suddenly another was upon her, its breath made of fear and its claws crushing her down, down. Deep into the agonizing snow, where she felt she'd be buried, frozen, forever.

The thing's demonic jaw stretched, slobber splayed. As she held its head back, her lungs empty, her own wolf glinted at her - the silver figure engraved into her gauntlet. She stared at it.

_Well?_ she thought, recalling Sora's Leo. _I need you, so why won't you help me?_

The wolf glared down at her, coldly.

_Why won't you help me?!_

The heartless bore down on her, teeth snapping, talons pricking her shoulders through the fabric. Skyra thought she felt something squirming inside her coat, but now the world had started closing in and there was only thick darkness, a cold, crushing weight that became a choking deep inside her. Numbly, she felt her mind race, but it only went in circles. Tunnel vision had begun to set in again, until all that was left was a pair of triangular yellow eyes. No one else.

_-No one else-_

Skyra never cognitively realized why, but somehow that fact did something to her. A roaring sound drowned out every thought, and all she could think to do was scream at it: _What are you waiting for?!_ But the words never left her throat, because it was just then that something wiggled free inside her coat and then she was blinded by a stream of purple fire.

In a flash, the heartless fell away from her, smoke sputtering from its mouth like some beastly furnace. It howled silently, neck and limbs thrashing in agony, eyes wild and crazed. Without hesitation she rolled over and plunged both daggers into it, ceasing its squirming. The wrath had not yet left her eyes when Roxas came, tearing through the shadows with his glimmering keyblades.

She rose shakily, sucking cold lungfuls of air as a feeling of control slowly bled back into her. Roxas kept his position battle-ready, asking, "Are you alright?"

She stared down as the defeated heartless faded away; her hand found Ardeo's little body, his claws clinging securely to her vest. Two violet eyes glowed up at her, looking concerned.

Skyra stared back, and then gave the dragon a quick, reassuring stroke. As she looked back up to face the heartless, however, a thought hovered in her mind. How on earth had she forgotten him...?

Roxas continued to wait for an answer as Skyra turned, watching a couple of beavers stumbling and wrestling their way through the wolves.

"Don't worry about it," she finally said.

When they saw the beavers suddenly fall under attack by the heartless, though, they sprinted into action. The beavers bit and struggled, whacking their predators with their rudder like tails, but it was only the slicing of knife and Keyblade that freed them.

The beavers' dark eyes glittered slightly in the magical firelight as Skyra and Roxas approached.

"What in blazes is goin' on here?!" huffed the male. He hunched over, looking worn and ragged with his paw pressed over a spot on his shoulder.

_I think you ought to be doing the explaining,_ thought Skyra to herself.

They all breathed the burning, freezing air, watching the wolves that continued in confusing circles. Their numbers had thinned but they were resilient, running, searching for a weakness. They would not be able to hold themselves back for long.

It was as Skyra had begun to wonder what would happen next that a shout rent the air, accompanied by a flash of white light. Whatever that was, it had sounded kind of like Sora. She thought perhaps he was in trouble, but it was just then that something happened to the way the heartless moved.

There was a shift, a slight change in direction, and then through the gaps in the black beasts Skyra thought she saw something. It was white and very small, apparently furred, too, because she could see the way the orange firelight hit its body. What was even crazier - and this made her eyebrows really knit together - was that half a dozen ferocious wolves were flying through the air around it, like they had been knocked away with amazing force.

"What the..." murmured Roxas as he gazed at the anomaly. All the heartless seemed to be leaving them alone in favor of attacking whatever this new threat was. Somewhere in the tornado of ghostly black shapes, somebody whooped with excitement.

They stood and watched as the sound of heartless getting whacked filled the air, and seconds later something shot out. It came towards them at an unbelievable velocity, tiny and bright white, mauling through the gang of heartless with ease. It was nothing more than a blur as it raced around behind them, making the snow spray out in a giant wave, and only when it came to rest in front of them could they finally see what it was.

The beavers jumped back in surprise. Skyra and Roxas just stared.

"That's a...dog?" The Nobody seems to choke on the words.

To everyone's shock, the creature was indeed a small dog. Its blazing white fur swayed in the light breeze, purer than moonlight, than ivory and even snow. It crinkled its round black nose, snarling with ears pulled back. A golden medallion hung swaying from the collar on its neck, and the only thing marking the dog's otherwise white fur was a jet black thunderbolt streaking his side.

In a second Sora was running at them as well, a smile on his face. "Bolt! Come here, boy!" he called. The dog barked in response and raced towards him without hesitation. Sora commanded it to jump and it did, using his keyblade as a platform so that he could launch the little dog at the wolves. The fearless pooch flew like a torpedo, blasting through the heartless with a fantastic head butt that threw them in all directions like they had been hit with an explosion.

Roxas marveled at the dog's boldness, how it moved and attacked without regard to the danger it was supposed to be in. The obsidian wolves snapped back into formation and surrounded the much smaller canine - a ring of smoky black, with the lone figure standing like some noble statue in the center, his ears flicking occasionally.

And then suddenly, all at once, they let loose a frenzy of wickedly-bladed tendrils, the steely segments clacking in a cacophony of shredding metal. Bolt leapt straight up in an instant, just escaping by a hairsbreadth. But then one of the monsters came out of nowhere and smacked the dog right down into the snow with its blades.

Bolt made a small crater in the snow upon impact, but he jumped back up again with surprising speed, his fur still perfect and completely unscathed. He growled, snatching a passing scissor blade in his jaws, and with inconceivable strength, began to swing its owner around like a veritable wrecking ball. The comically helpless wolf jerked and writhed as it was smashed into its buddies over and over, causing serious damage to both itself and the others. When it finally disintegrated, Bolt perked his ears up to a whistle sounding from somewhere outside the pack of heartless.

The dog ran in that direction, and with a great bound he cleared the wall of ravenous monsters. He sprayed snow everywhere upon reconnecting with the ground, and with a bark he and Sora dashed off at an incredible speed, eventually halting about fifty feet away and turning back to their pursuers.

"Bolt..." began Sora's command. "... Sick 'em."

The diminutive dog glared down the fast-approaching heartless without even a twitch of his tail, steadfast and completely unfazed. Bolt concentrated, adjusting his weight one foot at a time, until finally he was positioned in what must have been the dog equivalent of a crouch. A low growl grew stronger in his throat; he bowed his head, took a deep breath, and then-

-rrr_RAAAAOOW_!

The sudden bark roared like a jet going supersonic. It blasted the air in visible waves, shredding the snow and tearing up the heartless even as they were launched into the sky. The magnitude of the bark was so intense that it caused the snow on one of the nearby mountains to crumble into a small avalanche. On the far side of the clearing, several trees had been ripped right out of the ground.

The pack of heartless was rapidly torn apart and rent asunder, filling the air above with a thick fog of fading black smoke.

"Yeah!" cheered Sora as Bolt barked several times and panted happily. Sora bent down and snatched him up, twirling the dog in a circle and praising him with words like, "Good boy!"

Kairi ran up to meet him, and managed to pet the amazing animal before he suddenly began to glow. Bolt glanced around in confusion, growling a little before becoming totally encased in light, then vanishing. In an electric yellow flash, Bolt had disappeared back into the medallion.

Sora slipped the shiny object back into his pocket. "That was Bolt," he explained; then he looked Kairi over in the dim light. "Are you okay?" he asked, making her let out a huge, heavy sigh.

"Yeah, I'm fine, luckily," she said with a grim smile. "Just cold."

Together they headed back to a spot near where they had entered the clearing, where the beavers and the other humans were also gathering.

Donald waddled up, his breathing fast. "_Wolves_...! There were actually _wolves_!" His feathers ruffled as he hugged himself, trembling. Then he shot a look to Skyra. "What are you, psychic?!"

Skyra brushed herself off indignantly." What? I didn't know this was going to happen," she growled. Ardeo ventured out from hiding to wrap his body around her bleeding shoulder, bathing it in a faint glow.

"We must've gone too close to her castle," the beaver breathed, looking quite startled. He stared at the destruction caused by Bolt. "She'll know where we are now."

The other beaver waddled over to the first on its hind legs and gingerly combed the fur around a small wound on his shoulder.

"What_ were_ those things," exclaimed the older sister, still trying to catch her breath. Her eyes were wide and the shock was evident on her pale face. Then she caught sight of Donald and Goofy and stared at them with utmost disbelief.

The second beaver frowned at the laceration she was examining. "No one is really sure what they are; they're more demon than beasts of the wood," she sighed. "They just showed up one day, and ever since, Narnia's been a much darker place..."

"Whatever those beasts are, we call 'em Nightmares."

"We've seen those types of things before," said Sora. "They're the Heartless."

Roxas only glared at the ground and listened.

"Hearless," the male beaver grunted. "A fitting name for servants of that Witch." Then he hissed. "Ack! Stop fussin' over it dear, it's not that deep! An' more importantly-" he gestured ecstatically towards Skyra and the Keyblade weilders. "You guys aren't what I think you are, are ya?"

The awe and suspicion in his voice made the warriors bend their eyebrows in confusion. Roxas was more occupied with rubbing his exposed arms against the cool air than considering the strange question. Donald let out a questioning quack, slightly afraid that the beaver was referring to them being outsiders.

"...What do you mean?" asked Kairi, puzzled.

"Tell me you're all just overgrown dwarves. Not sons of Adam and daughters of Eve!"

"What?" said Skyra, eyes narrowed.

The female beaver spoke up next. "He means to ask if you're _human."_

Human. They said the word like it was something special, amazing.

Sora let his eyes explore the faces of the other three people, then flicked them back to the beavers. "Umm...well, yeah... Aren't they?"

Kairi and Roxas made gestures of agreement. Skyra just looked at the beavers like they were stupid.

The male beaver took a step back, his face a mask of disbelief. "What...? You've got to be bloomin' joking!" He turned to the other beaver, hesitant. "The Prophesy never said anything about there being more humans. What if they're workin' for the Queen...?"

The others watched as the two mammals conversed and practically ignored them for a few moments, the male beaver becoming increasingly frustrated each time he spoke.

"Well they certainly don't seem like the type to me," commented the female, her voice intoned with practicality and a distinctly optimistic warmth.

"But this can't be right," deliberated the other. He turned to the humans again. "All right, one of you had better decide which of you are the real Sons of Adam and Daughters of Eve - you can't all be the chosen ones!"

"Then they can have the job," snapped Susan as she stepped closer. "You saw the way they fight. We don't want any part of your war."

The beaver seemed to hold a hesitant breath, as if disappointed. Sora could only look on in bewilderment, not understanding what the situation here was all about. "Um, hold on a sec..." he said with his hands spread out. "Can you guys explain what all this Son of Adam business is? We're not really from around here..."

The beaver raised a paw in explanation. "There's a prophesy...agh, I just got through explainin' it ta them!"

Peter spoke next. "Look, Mr. Beaver..." he addressed, "you said we had to leave, didn't you? All we want to do is get Edmund back." The teen's voice was subdued. It seemed as if the energy had gone out of him, like the world had been spun and twisted too much in too little time, and nothing could be relied upon.

Lucy clung to his side, shivering a little.

"He's right, dearie, we have to get moving." Mrs. Beaver put a paw on the shoulder of the first. "She could be coming any moment now."

Mr. Beaver nodded. "I know," he sighed, troubled. Then he shook his head and glared back up. "Alright, I'm takin' my chances with you three. Unless you want to end up the Witch's prisoners, you have to get yourselves back to the dam, now!"

The urgency in his voice was enough to make the three humans start running back towards the dam, Susan muttering something darkly as she went. The beaver spurred them on with commands to run faster, and as they passed he went on all fours after them.

"Gawrsh..." commented Goofy.

"Wak! Hey, wait a minute here!" Donald yelled in protest, leaping up and down.

Mr. Beaver halted and turned back his head.

"Can't we come with you guys?" pleaded Sora. "We don't even know where we are!"

The furred shadow shrugged and replied. "Look, thanks a lot for all your help, but... I think we should part ways now. I suggest you lot get as far away from here as possible."

"But wait! We're looking for a missing friend of ours!" cried Kairi.

"Another one?" said the beaver incredulously. "He doesn't happen to be another human, does he?!"

"Please, sir..." begged Sora. "This place is huge and he could be anywhere."

Mr. Beaver, a dark shape on the faint blue snow, seemed to eye the group warily as if he were wrestling with himself, searching for something. But a second passed and Mrs. Beaver's call pulled him out of it and he sighed quickly.

"All right, _all right_!" he relented. "We'll sort you out later, now come ON!"

With a sigh of gratification, they ran.

And far behind, the wolves gave chase.

* * *

On the world made barren by darkness, there was a desolate city. Overlooking the city was a dead cliff. Found on that cliff were four figures, and of them, two were standing.

Wreathed in a swirl of crackling darkness, the one nearest to the edge faced away from the others. Whatever the dark man was doing, it seemed to require some measure of concentration for him to have stood in that position for so long. Behind him lay an old buster sword that had been thrown to the ground, its nicked blade steadily disintegrating under a pervading streak of rust. A little further back slumbered the stricken warrior, but these three were not alone on this forsaken rock.

The fourth, tall and phantom like, was directly behind the last. He stood over the fallen Cloud, observing the scene with white irises glowing in the black sclera of his eyes. The hollow wind moaned in the distance, the clouds swirled above like coiled black serpents. A lightning flash set the infertile land ablaze, briefly illuminating the lone silhouette up ahead, causing the discarded sword to glitter.

The watcher's garb was entirely black, which made him nigh invisible against the unfathomable shadows all around. No one heeded his coming; he had not been noticed. He gazed down. His eyes lingered on the slender long sword, and then fell to the person through whom it had been thrust.

He was undoubtedly a warrior, lean and battle weary. Soldiers were hardly uncommon to him, though he rarely found one in such surroundings as these...

He glanced around. The sheer enormity of the darkness actually did not bother him. Indeed he was undaunted by it and could perceive every detail easily, but still such a gathering of unearthly creatures was unusual. They seemed to react to his presence, but they remained trapped in their convulsive silence.

And that man... He glanced up momentarily.

He supposed there was some story behind all this, but he found that he couldn't really be bothered to care. Oh well. The figure shifted and brought forward his imposing scythe, Darkwind. Carefully, he pressed the blade against the man's chest, feeling his shallow breaths push feebly at the weapon's tip.

* * *

Kairi was exhausted and weary-eyed by the time they made it back to the dam. She jogged numbly the last few steps before bursting through an open door, the fire-warmed air smacking her frosted cheeks. For a second she hunched over, sucking it in through her sore, burning lungs.

The others moved around her, frantic.

"Hurry, Mama, they're after us!" urged Mr. Beaver to his wife.

Groaning with heaviness, Kairi forced her self to stand. It was surprisingly comfy in here, furnished with a homey touch. The roof was actually set at a relatively nice height. In the center of the small space was a low table with the remnants of a fish dinner still spread out, and the place was decorated with all sorts of wooden knick-knacks. In one wall, a bright hearth guttered invitingly.

"Oh, right then..." she heard Mrs. Beaver say hurriedly. The semi-aquatic mammal dashed over and rummaged through a cupboard, mumbling items that they should bring while grabbing them and wrapping them up into a white cloth.

Peter stared. "What's she doing?"

Mr. Beaver made a gesture like she'd lost it. Sora and Skyra looked at her, then at the rest of the house. Roxas leaned on the doorframe, peering out before slamming it shut. His blue eyes flicked to them. They must be close.

"Oh, you'll be thanking me later," Mrs. Beaver assured. "It's a long journey and Beaver get _pretty_ cranky when he gets hungry."

"I'm cranky _now_!" he exclaimed.

"Do you think we'll need jam?" mused Susan.

"Only if the Witch serves toast," retorted Peter, incredulous.

Kairi snorted breathlessly, and would have laughed at such absurdity if she hadn't just heard the snap of breaking branches. Everyone gasped in alarm. It was the wolves, their eager paws thrashing the stiff wooden mesh that composed the outer walls.

"_Shoot,"_ cursed Skyra.

Ardeo slithered out of her coat and gave a worried whine, ears pressed back, his eyes reflecting violet.

Sora held his breath in the silence. The forceful scratching cackled all around. They would break through soon. "What do we do?"

"Quick! In here!" hissed Mr. Beaver, prying open a hidden door and bounding inside.

"You don't have to tell me twice!" announced Donald, scrambling in after Peter and his sisters. Sora's hand found Kairi's and he lead them into the secret passageway. Roxas dove in last to shut the door.

...

The rustle of activity at the dam pervaded the forest's silence like a harsh whisper. Even in the weak moonlight the ice glowed faintly, revealing the wolves that attacked the structure from all angles.

The largest wolf, Maugrim, stalked purposefully around the dam's exterior. His dark eyes scrutinized their progress, ears flicking to hear his prey, his steps calm and controlled. "Hurry," he growled, low.

Just then one of them broke through. A crackle of wood and the shadow disappeared inside. In a moment they were all in, dozens of cold paws tearing through the tiny house, ripping into the cupboards, grunting, sniffing out their targets efficiently. The wolves broke into every concealed space, ravaging the whole dam for the beavers and their humans. In less than a minute one found the door, pawed at it, and went through the opening.

It growled curiously, peering down at what appeared to be a tunnel leading into an excavated passageway directly below.

...

All Kairi could hear were breaths and footsteps. She ran, half blind, behind Donald, feeling Sora's body next to hers, grasping and stumbling over roots and packed soil. The tunnel was large enough for them to almost sprint, but the sporadic torchlight left the floor pitch dark in some places and it made one more worried that they might trip a fall. Once she scraped the back of Donald's foot, but he limited his complaint to a strained grunt for fear of making too much noise. Behind her, she only sensed Roxas.

Up ahead, Mr. Beaver called back. "Badger and me dug this. Comes out right near his place."

A soft root raked through her hair and she swatted it away, breathing in the deep earthen odor that clung to the air like dust.

"You told me it lead to your mums!" exclaimed Mrs. Beaver.

Her voice was partially masked by the rushing of breath that filled the tight space. Kairi was certainly well aware of hers. So much running in such a short time was beginning to result in a sudden and deep weariness that dragged at her limbs, ached in her joints. It was as if tiny claws had rubbed her lungs raw, her harsh gasps leaving them stinging, overheated and icy.

Worse, though, was how trapped this place was making her feel.

Just then Lucy staggered over a root. Something was heard vibrating through the tunnel, an ominous echo. Howling.

"Waak!" Donald jumped in fright.

Susan cried, "Lucy!" and helped the girl recover her balance. Everyone picked up the pace.

"They're in the tunnel!" shouted Lucy.

"Quick! This way."

"Hurry!"

"Run!"

"Quick! Quick! Quick!" prompted Mr. Beaver, as if it would make them run any faster.

The tunnel coiled and wound before them, forking and twisting several times so as to make it difficult to tell which way was the right path. Kairi stopped trying to remember how they had come here and just focused on forcing her legs to kick harder. Sora's hand pushed on her back, urging her on through the shadows that gathered in frightening shapes on the cave walls. To the rear, Roxas "tch-ed" in aggravation.

After a moment the group came to a halt at a dead end. Kairi and Roxas twisted around to stare into the darkness. Muffled barking roared from somewhere in the distance, the many lupine footsteps counting down the seconds, and in Kairi's ears they were as loud and demanding as the panicked spasms of her heart.

At the front, she heard, "You should have brought a map!"

"There wasn't any _room_ next to the_ jam_!" cried Mr. Beaver, leaping up into what must have been some type of hole in the ceiling. The rest followed one at a time, and when the others had gone Kairi climbed up with the help of Sora and she rose into the cold air once again.

Her breath smoked. She heard Lucy yelp somewhere but she turned to look down at the hole instead. There was a grunt and then Sora's head appeared, and she took his shoulder to help him up.

"Come on, get out here!" urged Mr. Beaver.

Next came a spark of blonde hair as Roxas' hands gripped the freezing edge. Sora grabbed his arm, and as he hoisted him up, said breathlessly, "Hanging in there, Roxas?"

The Nobody let out a few breaths and muttered, "Like hell I am."

Behind them, Donald and the Beavers barricaded the entrance with a barrel. After a bit of straining it finally came to rest up against the ledge, beneath which the badger hole was built. Donald heaved out several rapid breaths before wiping his forehead and falling back onto the barrel, sighing in relief that there was no more barking.

It was in the new silence, however, that everyone slowly realized what had just happened.

First it was Mr. Beaver, who's face fell as he glanced at Lucy. Everyone else followed to see that she had tripped and fallen on her back.

She propped herself up and stared at her feet, where little stone statues of rabbits and tiny woodland creatures sat. There appeared to be small group of them, and, to one side, a lone badger stood upright with its paws outstretched as if in defense. Its stone jaw hinged open as if to scream.

Lucy stood and backed away. Mr. Beaver moved to touch the statue's paw.

Behind him, Mrs. Beaver looked just as horrified. "I'm so sorry, dear," she murmured.

Her husband gazed, transfixed with a shattered look in his eyes, shocked and barely breathing. "He was me best mate..." he said, his voice almost too soft to hear.

Sora stared at the frozen creature, marveling at how perfectly each hair stood out in pricking needles of grey rock. Every detail from the curves of its gums to its teeth and dulled eyes was preserved in cold stasis. Sora's breath fogged in front of him. "That's...your friend?" he asked, feeling as bound and immobile as the badger.

"What happened here?" inquired Peter.

What answered him was not a familiar voice, but an intelligently sly, almost imperious one. "This is what becomes of those who cross the Witch," it announced, contemptuous, from their right.

"Wha-?" said Sora as he turned in surprise. Skyra's hand moved to her knife, but stopped when she realized the speaker was merely a fox. Small, rust colored, it gazed at them from the top of the mound that halfway covered the secret tunnel.

Now Beaver's voice was harsh. "You take one more step, traitor," he snarled, "an' I'll chew you to splinters!" Mrs. Beaver held her incensed husband back as the fox laughed, a mirthful chuckle.

"_Relax_," it drawled, stepping down calmly. Its dark eyes glittered. "I'm one of the good guys."

"Yeah?" spat Beaver venomously. "Well you look an awful lot like one a' the _bad_ ones."

The fox's smile remained. It took the insult with a gracious dip of its head. "An unfortunate family resemblance. But we can argue breeding later." He looked right up at them. "Right now we've got to move."

As if on cue, the guttural roaring of wolves sounded from somewhere in the tunnel. "The wolves...!" alerted Kairi in a small voice. Skyra snapped something under her breath and glared at the fox, who stood elegantly unperturbed, staring at them, as if awaiting a response. They were out of time and options, and he knew it.

"What did you have in mind?" breathed Peter.

The fox smiled wider. So did his eyes.

...

Kairi lent back to grip a small branch projecting from the pale tree trunk behind her. She used it to steady herself as she sat on a larger branch, high in the canopy. Her discomfort made her wiggle; first of all her legs hung awkwardly from either side of the thick branch, and the cold seeping through her cumbersome coat made it all the more difficult to get comfortable. That, and her fingers were now frozen from the frantic climb, and she had no long pants, so her legs were also cold.

Sora pulled himself up behind her. "You okay?" he asked. The barking was getting louder.

"Yeah," she responded, then gazed down, where the fox was busy covering their track with his tail. On the trees to either side of them were the others - it had been the fox's idea that they bluff escape and hide themselves amongst the skeletal foliage. Kairi breathed hot air onto her hand, hoping silently that they wouldn't be discovered.

They did not have to wait long. Only three seconds later she saw the barrel burst from the tunnel exit as grey bodies emerged, shooting out in quick succession. Kairi went as still as physically possible, even slowing her breathing for fear of being heard. They were all normal wolves, but somehow this did not comfort her.

The numerous canines quickly encircled the much smaller fox, who angled himself to face one wolf in particular. Kairi heard the fox's unusually calm words in the clear night.

"Greetings, gents. Lost something, have we?"

"Don't patronize me!" growled a wolf, his voice gruff and edged with a dangerous temperament. "I know where your allegiance lies. We're looking for some humans."

The fox chuckled and stepped tentatively back while the wolves continued to circle. "Humans? Here in Narnia?" came his subtly amused reply. "That's a valuable bit of information, don't you think?"

Another wolf blindsided the fox so fast that Kairi had to hold back a gasp. Sora's hand fell on her shoulder and he sent her a glance.

Down below, the fox yelped as his attacker forced him down and then clamped its jaws over his slender body. He was lifted up easily, neck and limbs hanging limp with fear and pain. Maugrim paced slowly right up to him.

"Your reward is your life," Maugrim sneered. He snickered darkly as he said, "It's not much. But still. Where were the fugitives?" The wolf lowered his head so that he could speak even closer to the fox's ear. "All of them."

Kairi stared down at the scene transfixedly, thinking that, if the Fox wanted to...

It occurred to her that none of them really knew who he was.

The one being interrogated stared into Maugrim's eyes and then slowly dropped his head, as if defeated. "North..." the word sounded expertly dragged from his lips. "They went north."

"Smell them out," commanded Maugrim to the others. The wolf holding the Fox cast him aside with a rough jerk of its head before bolting away with the rest of the pack, racing into the bushes. The Fox tried to push himself up as he crashed, but then he slipped into the snow and didn't move.

The group hiding in the trees watched, and slowly the multitude of footsteps faded into silence.

...

After the wolves had left, it had only taken the others minutes to navigate the trees and descend to the ground. The beavers especially were not coordinated in such an activity, but the mood was grim and oppressive as each of them struggled to come to the Fox's aid. When they arrived beside him they soon found that he was not entirely out cold, but mostly lying still to avoid pain. The Beavers immediately forgot their distrust and helped him stagger to another position, near which they built a small campfire with surprising skill. Sora and the others did whatever they were told, but were somewhat confounded and quietly shocked by the Fox's heroics.

He talked of recent events as they all defrosted by the crackling fire. It was an unlikely gathering of humans and animals, and the dead silence of the winter forest provided a shady, somber backdrop to the scene.

The Fox lay stretched out in the snow by the fire, facing them while Mrs. Beaver sorted out his wounds. A sudden yelp of pain escaped his lips, interrupting his story.

"... They were helping Tumnus," he continued in a strained voice. "The Witch got here before I did. Ow!" he couldn't stop himself from yelping again. "Oh!"

Kairi, who sat next to the Fox, ran her fingers through the fur of his head in a gentle, calming sort of way. It was odd, seeing as he was a wild talking animal, but he seemed to enjoy it nonetheless.

Beside her, Sora decided to leave his questions of the mysterious Mr. Tumnus for later. Donald and Goofy mostly listened and only commented occasionally. Skyra simply sat quietly and observed the animals with a close eye.

"Are you alright?" Asked Lucy in concern. Now that everyone had calmed down, the girl appeared to have a mild, sweet disposition with cute, childlike eyes. Well, Kairi thought they were cute, anyways.

The Fox tensed his shoulder blades and stretched them in discomfort. "Well," he said with a hint of wry humor, "I wish I could say their bark was worse than their bite... Ow!" His head reflexively stretched out and upward, one leg kicking back as he let out a doglike whimper.

"Stop squirming!" admonished Mrs. Beaver. "You're worse than Beaver on bath day!"

Said beaver looked at them with a fearful expression. "Worst day of the year..."

The Fox rose to his feet as they laughed quietly. His body was stiff but he seemed to be okay now. "Thank you for your kindness, but that's all the cure I have time for," he said to them, his face bright in the light of the fire.

Lucy glanced up at him."You're leaving?"

The Fox smiled. "It has been a pleasure, my Queen, and an honor, but time is short and Aslan himself has asked me to gather more troops."

Suddenly it seemed that a spark of jubilance had ignited within the Beavers. "You've seen Aslan?" gaped the male, his eyes sparkling with wonder.

_That name again_...thought Sora. He would have to ask about it later as well.

Mrs. Beaver was absolutely overawed. "What's he_ like_?" she asked. The breath that was caught in her throat appeared to just barely hold back an inner ecstasy.

The Fox opened his mouth to answer, but apparently having some difficulty describing the meeting, exhaled. "Like...everything we've ever heard," he smiled, and then turned to the humans. "You'll be glad to have him by your side in the battle against the Witch," he commented, although there was something in his voice as he glanced back and forth, as if the words were a test.

Susan was the one who replied. "But we're not planning on fighting any witch," she insisted, looking tired about the whole subject.

The Fox glanced at Peter in astonishment. "But surely, King Peter, the prophesy!"

Peter looked rueful, but didn't respond.

Mr. Beaver gazed up at all of them. "Ain't any of you willing to fight for Narnia?" he implored. "We can't go to war without you."

Susan glanced at Peter. He sighed and dropped his gaze to the fire. "We just want our brother back," he said quietly.

The animals looked to Sora and the others. The Keybearer scratched his head, unsure if they were up to another war. Donald let out a drawn-out hum and gave Sora an uncertain glance. Finally Sora shrugged heavily.

"... We still just want to find Riku."

There was a breath of disappointment.

"What do you think?" asked Mr. Beaver, palms upturned, to the Fox.

The Fox scanned them over with dark eyes, an uncertain look crossing his face. He sighed, finally finding the words to say. "Well, truth be told, I...can't be sure which of you are the true Kings and Queens of Narnia. This is very upsetting news," he admitted bleakly, "and certainly no one you meet will be happy to hear of it."

A few slow breaths and an indistinct silence told Sora that no one was feeling particularly excited about all this.

"Oh, come on, let's not all get so down!" said Mrs. Beaver, trying to be cheerful. "You said it yourself, dear, there's plenty of hope now that _he's_ here."

Mr. Beaver hummed softly. "Yeah, I suppose you're right," he agreed. "We ought to get going, too."

Peter and his sisters began to rise from the ground. Sora stood up, too, watching as the Fox turned away and looked back at them over his shoulder. This time his smile was less sly and more friendly.

"Despite the circumstances..." he said in farewell, "I think you're all here for a reason. Perhaps we will know soon which of you are foretold by the prophesy..." He chuckled. "I'm sure Aslan will be able to tell you, anyway."

Sora dropped his head in sort of a half-nodd, gazing thoughtfully at the glittering snow. He watched as everyone said their good-bye's, and as the Fox trotted away, the remaining eleven quickly destroyed the fire and set out on their quiet way.

* * *

Cloud slept, his battered face smeared with cracked dirt, unawares. At his heart, an obsidian blade poked into the skin, but did not break it. The scythe's wielder held the weapon steady.

If he pierced him now, his troubled soul could be collected. He concentrated; preparing to do what he did countless times a day. It was just as he was about to flick his wrist when he sensed a sudden energy. The eminence was bright, much larger than that of a human soul. For a second he imagined it to be a massive river, a flowing ribbon oscillating with strands of living thread.

It sparkled, flared, rose up warmly and pushed back at him. He paused.

Strange. Usually a soul under these conditions was loose and ready to detach. But this one clung to its body, shielded in some foreign energy, maybe even sustained by it. He had come back thinking it would finally be time, but...

He held the blade still for a moment, deciding whether he ought to wait or just end it now.

Finally, he removed the deadly tool, resting the segmented hilt on his shoulder. _Suit yourself_, he thought, ever patient. It seemed this one didn't want his mercy. Not that he saw a reason to let it cling to life for what he figured was a span of mere hours... Or at least what should be so...

...Maybe he should check the actual date for this one. Sometimes he jumped the gun. Arrived too early. Sometimes.

_Perhaps I shouldn't be surprised_, he thought. Strange things were suddenly starting to become more common. First a domed city turned to glass, then that silver-haired kid in the snow, and now this.

And all the while there was a greater target to pursue, one that was surprisingly illusive. It annoyed him slightly, but he was in no rush. They never really got away for long...

Without further ceremony the figure shifted, stepped back - and vanished into the black. All around the heartless convulsed, but remained mute as ever.

* * *

Ah, the Son of Adam misunderstanding! How did that mess happen? Would you believe me if I told you that I planned none of it? Seriously. That, like, totally hit me out of nowhere

xD

Finally, we get a glimpse of dudebro! (that guy with the scythe) Questions? Theories? Is he Death? You can give me all you got but it won't matter at all!

In other news, I'm debating going to a University called Arcadia (awesome, right?!). I say "debating" because UD also just offered me admission... Hmm, what to do...? Just thought I'd mention that there's literally a place called Arcadia and I had no idea xD

My life rocks.

Quote of the day: "Man, that guy really frosts my cookies!"

Extra points to whoever can identify what video game it's from. And if I catch you using Wikipedia I will personally disqualify you...with a shotgun.

Credits go to blastburnman, DanniPotterLovesGod, and Hawk Rider for reviewing

Hawk Rider- Haha, yeah, I cut the battle scene in half to shorten it. The length of that monster was kind of a concern to me, but your review helped push me in the right direction. Thanks for the comments!

DanniPotter- Haha...Riku whump...lol. Yeah, Riku is just, I don't know, that kind of character for me. Somehow all the bad stuff seems to happen to him and I'm hardly ever aware of it. Let's pass some of that angst around now, shall we? xD

And thanks SO much for your criticism on the Jadis lines. She seemed, like, REALLY scary to me when I re-watched the movie again, so that's what helped me write her dialogue. Glad to see I nailed it!

blastburnman- No, not likely.


	24. Winter's End

**Okay, okay, DON'T KILL ME ON SIGHT! (holds Axel up as a shield)**

***ahem* Before you all start destroying me with strongly-worded PM's, I just wanted to apologize for not updating in so long. Seriously, it took me twice as long to finish this time…**

**Axel: And why was that? (breaks free) **

**Me: (hides behind him again) Hey! Stop moving, Axel; you need to protect me! Ugh, well, when summer came around, I got really complacent and kinda loosened up too much…and then when college came along I had too many other things to do… Dx**

**But! (points finger in the air) Let it be said that I am no less interested in writing my story! In fact, I can't wait for the things that are coming up soon!**

**:D!**

**Axel: (rolls his eyes)**

**Okay, shout-out to Hawkrider for getting the quote right! Nice job!**

**"Urrgh! That guy really frosts my cookies!" –Uzuki from The World Ends With You**

**Okay, so I thoroughly realize that Sora and Kairi are now officially together, aaand so far nothing's happened... Well...crap's been going down; I haven't gotten to that yet! Dx**

**Axel: Says the crappy fan fiction writer...**

**Me: Silence! You lost your right to speak when you stopped being here!**

**Axel: You're the writer! You stopped putting me here!**

**Me: OOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHH! :O (Bro90x joke)**

**Expect random filler in this episode. Evidently, I thought it was important to include them... .****... Look, I haven't uploaded in months, so take what you can get, people!**

* * *

**Chapter 24: Winter's End**

The stark landscape was robed in its heavy layers of frigid white. There was white above and white below, with expansive blotches of shredded cloud through which the blinding light of day could blaze. The old trees were hobbled. Though tall they seemed to bend, exhausted by their powdery load, half asleep with the bitter sorrow of their frozen confinement. There was something in the forest itself that whispered with subtle grief, its hollowness amplified by the lack of any sound or any movement that suggested some kind of life within.

Yet there was a feeling of some long lost energy, fast bound and imprisoned deep below the surface that seemed to radiate faintly in the almost-warm light of the sun...

The sound of fluttering wings was heard by no one as a tiny red bird, who had apparently taken interest in an unmoving person, flitted down to perch on its shoe. The grey footwear rested upon a magnificent patch of lush green grass which surrounded the boy's shape perfectly. It crept around his limp arms, coming to an end at the dull brown tree on which he leaned.

His head was curled down, chin tucked into his chest, the furs of his coat partially obscuring his cheeks. Many long, frayed locks of silver hair fell in messy rivers over the figure's shoulders, displaying the boy's apparent and urgent need of a hair brush.

The small bird twitched several times, flicking its tail and rotating its head in various positions to get a look at the person. It chirped, as if to say, "Your pants are going to get wet like that, kid". The bird then hopped up and down on the toe of the shoe before pecking at the material with a curious, probing orange beak.

The appendage immediately attached to the shoe responded, convulsing slightly and flexing at the ankle. The bird flapped in surprise while it tried to recover its balance, blinking its beady eyes repeatedly as it glanced back up. It chirped at him again. _Cheep!_

Riku stirred and breathed in deeply through his nostrils, instantly crinkling them against the frigid, biting air. This seemed to rouse him, and after a moment he gradually slid open his eyelids, having to blink them hard when they met the white glare given off by the pristine snow in the bright morning sun. He grunted softly and lifted his head by a small margin, only getting a glimpse of the crimson bird before it took flight and darted safely to a tree several meters away. Bewildered, he moved to gaze with squinting eyes at the creature.

It emitted several more odd twittering sounds, flicked its tail again, and then flitted away in a wavy flight pattern.

Now alone in the quiet morning, and not feeling at all rushed, Riku stretched and yawned, rubbing away the random moisture in his eyes that resulted from a surprisingly good sleep. He stood up slowly while combing his fingers through his cold, matted hair, and looked up. Apparently the tree had decided to rudely drop some its snow on his head at some point.

Wait...why had he been sleeping outside?

Only after this realization did he finally remember, in a sudden burst of mnemonics, all that had happened the previous night, and his hand subconsciously flew to his chest. Underneath the partially unzipped coat he noticed a good sized burn hole in his black shirt where he had injected himself with fire. The underlying skin felt perfect and completely untouched, and...

Riku quickly pulled his left arm from its sleeve.

To his immense relief, the appendage seemed to be fine. Way more than just fine, actually; he would have described this as nothing less than a miraculous recovery. The bright blue venom that had sought to freeze his very blood must have been cleansed by his dark flame, and the arm once again radiated a healthy complexion. The bite mark remained scabbed over for now, but aside from that all was normal.

Surprised, Riku just stood like a statue, pupils slowly flicking around as if he were waiting for something._ I don't...feel any different..._he thought. Searching inside, he probed around for that dreaded voice...but there was no response.

"...Nothing..." he said faintly.

_Was he unable to take control, even though I was weak?_ he wondered.

"His voice..." Riku murmured unsteadily. "Always with that voice..."

He closed his eyes, exhaling.

"... Well…anyway..." Riku cleared his mind, lowering his arm as he stepped forward to survey the wintry forest. He scanned from side to side, noting dense woods and distant mountains. "How will I find them...in a world like this?"

After a few moments, he eventually decided to get moving, stepping into the snow in the same direction the bird had taken with the hopes of finding his friends soon. An odd thought hovered in the back of his head, one that left a particular feeling in his gut: the idea that Ansem might have just saved his life.

* * *

The brilliant light of the morning brought clarity to the frost-bitten forest, casting a faint highlight on the face of every ashen grey tree. The many tall, sometimes naked structures seemed to doze as almost a dozen crunching sets of feet broke the crusted upper layer of the snow. Sora felt as if he were walking and breathing in a silent painting, the crisp air funneling through his nostrils, a feeling of contentment at his shoulder. Walking near to him were the weary figures of Donald, Goofy, Roxas and Kairi, all of whom hadn't eaten more than a jelly-lathered biscuit from Mrs. Beaver's pouch since landing here. The night was gone and the midnight trek had drained them, but the white sunlight set the snow ablaze like glittering diamonds and brought a subtle vigor to Sora's thoughts.

He wondered briefly on the Prophesy spoken of by the Beavers: When Adam's flesh and Adam's bone, sits in Care Paravel in throne, the evil time will be over and done... They had explained that the prophesy required four humans, two of each gender, that were supposedly meant to bring about the end of the hundred-year winter in Narnia.

Despite how cool Sora thought it would be to fulfill that prophesy, well, there simply wasn't enough time to reign as a king right now. Honestly, the thought made him heavy, and he sincerely hoped the responsibility fell onto the Pevensie children. He had enough on his plate already.

Up a head was Skyra, who walked near to Susan, and a short distance in front of them were the Beavers, waddling on their hind legs to scan ahead of the group. Perched serenely on Skyra's shoulder was Ardeo, who filled the air with calm, wandering notes. The dragon shimmered as he sang, calling out only jumbles of oddly-placed vocals that never formed a complete song, until he came across a tune that he liked and continued to add more to it. His voice transcended octaves smoothly, creating a mysterious, high-and -low quality that made the tranquil morning even more inviting to conversation.

Skyra appeared to be just fine walking along quietly, eyes gazing forward, until she realized that Susan had been staring at her on-and-off for the last ten minutes. Intrigued, she turned her head to glance at the other girl.

"Oh, sorry..." breathed Susan quickly, and having been discovered, flicked her eyes away. She put on a half-smile and gave Skyra a highly inquisitive look. "It's just... I can't seem to get over your hair - all of you, actually."

The two girls shot a glance at the boys behind them. Skyra fingered a few rebellious strands of hair that were always the first to break free from her ponytail, and gave a snicker.

"I mean, I'm sure it might be normal where you come from, but I don't think I've ever seen anything quite like it." The eldest sister used a somewhat light tone so as not to be offensive, but it was evident that she was searching very hard for an explanation to such outlandish hair-do's.

Her bewilderment made Skyra laugh a little. "Runs in the family, believe it or not," she offered.

Unbeknownst to the others, she turned away with an expression of confusion, as if her own words were strange to her, and set her jaw tighter. Susan, however, was too busy exploding over the possibility of a human gene for pink-streaked hair to even notice.

"Anyway," recovered Skyra, jerking her head to indicate Sora and Roxas, "it's those one's that have the ridiculous hair."

"How do they get it to be so spiky?" laughed Susan.

"Honestly, the world may never know," scoffed the other girl.

Their breath fogged as they laughed quietly.

"And all different colors, too," mused Susan. "You don't all seem to be related at all..."

This brought a smile to Skyra's face. One that was larger but still genuine. "Related to Sora?!" Ardeo cried out, echoing her humor. "I couldn't imagine it..." A moment later she spoke up again. "... But if I was, would I still be allowed to call him an idiot?"

"I think so," chuckled Susan, looking like she could say similar things of her brothers. "Do you do that often?"

"I suppose..." answered Skyra. "I called Sora a pansy once, and an idiot...among other things..."

Susan laughed. "Anyway, brothers and sisters always do that to each other, kind of like how you make fun of your friend Sora."

Skyra considered the information and hummed thoughtfully. "Is...that what siblings are supposed to do?"

The girl glance up in question. "Well, they pretty much all do, don't you think...?" Susan drifted, looking somewhat hesitant but mostly astounded by the other teen's lack of knowledge on the subject. Her crystal eyes were sharp, analytic.

Skyra turned her gaze back to the path ahead. Silent, snow-laden trees passed, and she shrugged.

"I...suppose I wouldn't know," she answered simply.

"Ah, no brothers or sisters, then?" The question was honest and plain enough.

Skyra shook her head.

"Hmm. Well, they can be quite the handful sometimes," commented Susan pointedly. She gazed forward, as if the very landscape was proof enough of her statement. Behind her, Peter rolled his eyes.

The other girl hummed in acknowledgement and slight humor. "You're stuck with them," Skyra affirmed. As she did so her countenance fell slightly, chocolate eyes shifting into a deeper, more contemplative stare. "... But, at least you have them, right?"

Her softer tone was ignored by the babble of conversation behind them, but Susan heard it, and her eyes met the brilliant snow as well. She gave a quick, humorless breath of a laugh - a hollow whispered grunt. Bitterness on her lips, she said, "Hardly."

There was a glance shared between her, Peter, and Lucy. Skyra caught it with a question in her eyes, but then seemed to understand. "Right. Your brother..."

Peter nodded once, faintly. "Edmund, yes."

Lucy, whose dark coat dragged a little as she walked, looked up at her brother. "Do you think he's alright?" she inquired, a speck of dullness clouding her round eyes.

Peter couldn't help but look straight down at her, as if drawn there somehow. The girl's question caused Susan to turn her head completely around for a short but tangibly heavy moment, and in that span of silence Peter's lips stretched into a grim line that, while tender and full, still did not entirely qualify as a smile. He answered, with a breath of air from his nose, "I hope so, Lucy."

Their discordant, crunching footfalls continued to fill the cold tranquility, and Susan and Skyra both rotated their heads to face slowly forward once again.

_A sad situation_, thought Skyra. ..._Even family members can betray each other_.

She thought to ask why, but seeing as the three were already troubled, she decided against it. Perhaps it was some quarrel that had caused the dissension. But the more she thought on it the more she felt something akin to anger roiling up inside her. _It shouldn't matter_, snapped a voice inside her, like some lost memory. _It should never matter._

There was a new quality of absentminded heaviness in her step, arms hanging in a somewhat less animated way, as one who is not entirely there would walk. Her eyes fell on the snow with a glare hot enough to melt it.

..._Nothing excuses a betrayal._

It was only moments later that a throaty sort of hum pierced her increasingly gloomy thoughts, and looking up she saw that it was Ardeo, who had long since ceased uttering his song. His tiny claws held her shoulder firmly, tail swishing and coiling like a tentative snake. She saw his tiny glittering scales and his imploring, almost bruised-looking eyes.

Inwardly she sighed. Then reached over to rub his neck.

The diminutive reptile let out a quietly warbling purr, facing the ground with his forehead pressed into her jaw bone. The gentle rocking motion made by Skyra's hand seemed to soothe him.

The girl looked ahead once more, and then down suddenly, as if pondering an idea. Taking Ardeo in her hand, she mentally told him to hold on a second and then glanced back at Lucy.

"Hey Lucy," she said. The young girl looked up at her with eyes that were unafraid.

Skyra thrust out her hand towards her, fingers gripped around the tiny Ardeo. He hung in her grasp, wings tucked in and not resisting. "Do you like dragons?"

Lucy's face seemed to light up at the creature before her and she came to a halt, one eyebrow wiggling slightly. The others stopped walking along with her as well.

"... Will...will he bite?" she asked tentatively, a grin already forming on her face as she brought a cold hand closer to Ardeo.

"Only in self-defense." Skyra gazed at them steadily. _Play with her, will you?_ she told Ardeo.

He craned his neck back to glance at Skyra, then faced Lucy and gave an endearing cry, violet eyes closing briefly. Lucy watched as he climbed nimbly out of Skyra's hand and onto her arm. He paused to let her stroke his tiny head, and then scampered up and started swatting at her hair with an amused chitter.

Lucy giggled as the dragon continued to poke her and move about playfully from shoulder to shoulder, his antics appearing to brighten her up considerably.

"... I bet Susan has been _dying_ to comment on that," chuckled Peter suddenly.

"Oh, shut it," she snapped good-naturedly in return. "It's not any less possible that the rest of this place." Susan regarded Skyra as they continued trudging through the near-perfect snow. "You know, I really think we should tell you that we're not from around here," she said.

Skyra waved her eyebrow. "Neither are we."

The girl looked to her with new interest, perhaps a flare of shock. "Really? Did...you come through a wardrobe as well?"

Skyra thought back to the massive piece of furniture that had served as the gate to this world. "... Something like that," she said.

"So then you must agree!" the girl spoke with an energetic wave of her arm. "How ridiculous this all is...! The talking animals, everything. We're walking around inside a wardrobe!"

Skyra got the odd impression that the girl was venting. Her eyes scanned the growing patches of sun-stained white hot snow, then she responded a-matter-of-factly, "I've seen crazier."

"Heehee… Give it up, Susan," giggled Lucy from behind. "'Illogical' doesn't always mean 'impossible'."

Ardeo warbled in delight, spitting a thin wisp of flame into the air as if to agree. Susan glanced back at the smug girl, and with a half-smile twist of her lip turned back and muttered, "Unfortunately."

The others chuckled quietly_. Skrt, skrt_, went their crunching footsteps, a comforting sound that was quite suddenly broken by a coarse reproach from up ahead.

"Oi! Get over 'ere you stragglers!" shouted Mr. Beaver. "We're at the Stone Bridge already; come on!"

The beaver's demands elicited both chuckles and groans from the humans. Skyra lifted her eyebrow at the two chestnut-colored mammals that now stood in bright contrast past the reach of the forest, where the unhindered sunlight spread like white fire over the snow.

"You'd think with such short legs they wouldn't be able to walk so fast..." commented Susan.

"And we've been going all night..." moaned Lucy. Ardeo yawned beside her, moving to hunker down between her warm neck and the inside of her furred collar.

Skyra glanced over her shoulder to see what the others were doing. Strangely enough, the first thing she saw was Sora on his knees in the snow, evidently in serious pain. Some of the others were chuckling or otherwise making an effort to restrain themselves from doing so, and Donald could be seen marching away from the afflicted Sora. Skyra paused and continued to observe the scene.

"Hmph!" huffed the duck as he trudged by, agitated and with blood vessels pulsing in his skull. "I'll show him who's afraid of wolves...!"

Skyra watched as Donald passed, mumbling in scathing words all manner of belligerent remarks. She merely raised an eyebrow in amusement, and a moment later walked after him with quiet, considering steps. She, along with the others, soon emerged beyond the trees to find that they now stood upon a massive rock formation that reached narrowly into the sky from the sloping ground below.

The darkly cold, rough stone did, indeed, resemble a bridge as it adjoined the two tree-capped ridges, and to either side provided a spectacular view of the miles of thick wood that thrived on seemingly every inch of Narnia.

"Unhhh... Jeez, Donald, did you really have to kick my shin?" groaned Sora. He bent over to massage the mortal wound.

"Hmph! You got what you deserved," replied Donald, arms crossed.

"Ahyuck," laughed Goofy. "You really shouldn't a' teased him for it, Sora..."

"Haha...yeah." Sora stood erect once again, panning his eyes to take in the view. He absorbed the painted white landscape with an expression of impressed wonderment, and then, unbeknownst to the others, seemed to shrink away, as if daunted.

"Now," announced Mr. Beaver, "Aslan's camp is just near the Stone Table, just across the frozen river."

Peter glanced down at him. "River?"

"Oh, the river's been frozen solid for over a hundred years," informed Mrs. Beaver sweetly.

"Wow..." murmured Kairi, lifting her face to allow the sun to better warm her pale face. It was no camp fire, but it took the edge off her rosy cheeks.

The oldest brother squinted longingly into the distance. "It's so far..."

"It's the world, darling," smiled Mrs. Beaver. "Did you expect it to be small?"

Susan sent Peter a wry glance. "Smaller," she remarked.

Sora hugged himself, chilly despite the unabated winter sun. Next to him, Goofy brought his index finger to his chin and stared, head tilted to the ground, in thought. "Hmmm... Makes ya wonder how we're gonna find Riku in all this," he said aloud.

Kairi kneaded her hand and flattened her lips in response. Both Donald and Sora simultaneously deflated, the former letting out a somber, "Ohhhhhhh..." It only made sense to Sora, seeing as Donald's last words to Riku were snarls of condemnation.

Instantly Goofy recomposed himself, glancing quickly around at the effect he had created in them. "Aww, hey now - don't listen ta me you guys..." He moved to stand in front of them with concern clearly written all over his face. "I shoulda known better'n to say that... I'm sorry," he pleaded.

Donald sniffed, partially from the cold weather, and gazed up at him.

"... It's okay," pardoned Sora, eyes closing heavily. His mood drew in Kairi's attention as well. She smiled grimly, taking his arm and leaning onto his shoulder. This appeared to catch the boy somewhat off guard.

"... Sora, you believe we'll find him, right?" she prodded. There was a tender patience in her tone that made her smile seem a tiny bit lighter.

Sora looked down in thought at the question, gazing a bit to the side as he brought a hand up to scratch his head. "Well..." he took a moment to sigh. "Yeah, I guess I do," he admitted.

"Well, good." Kairi released a pent up breath and let go of him, eyes growing a little brighter. "Because, if you didn't... Haha... Anyway, just...try not to worry too much. We'll find him."

Sora tilted his head slightly, realization dawning on him. In his slight obsession over Riku's absence, he was causing her to worry about himself as well. Her last statement now seemed both practical and ironic at the same time.

"Ahyuck!" exclaimed Goofy spiritedly. "That's right, Sora. We'll find him no matter what!

"Yeah!" affirmed Donald with his hand balled into fists. "Forget the mission! We're not going anywhere until I've whacked 'im upside the head a few times for getting separated! I don't care if we have to stay here for weeks!"

Sora cracked a smile at that. A short breathing chuckle escaped his throat.

Roxas, who had so far watched quietly, smirked at Sora. "Sora," he said, "I don't make promises often, but even I could tell you it's going to be alright."

"Ugh...Hahaha..." Sora blinked and then smiled at everyone appreciatively. "Alright, I get it. I know, I'm just worried is all...Thanks, everyone."

Kairi smiled. She was about to reach over and give Sora a hug, but Goofy beat her to it. The knight was so tall that he seemed able to lift the boy and swing him around in circles with little to no effort at all, and as he did so, laughed and said, "Ahyuck-hyuck! That's what friends are for, right, Sora?"

"Waaah! G-Goofy! Put me down already!"

Everyone laughed as Goofy apologized and plopped Sora back onto the snow, the latter looking rather embarrassed at having been jolted around so suddenly.

"Hmph... What a strange lot you are," chuckled Mr. Beaver with veiled affection. Sora turned and then remembered that they had of course been watching. Mrs. Beaver smiled, touched from their little display. There was an awkward exchange of friendly looks from the Pevensies.

Peter leveled his gaze at Sora. "If it helps," he said, "I think you'll find your friend, too."

"Oh! Um, thanks," smiled Sora while rubbing the back of his head. "And hey, we can help you guys find your brother, too!"

This put a wide smile on Lucy's face. "Thanks, Sora," she said quietly. "You're all really nice..."

Sora couldn't help but smile at that. He was happy that she was at least feeling better from the heartless attack last night. Kairi giggled in response.

"Well now..." said Mrs. Beaver airily, "we'd best get moving if we want to get to Aslan's camp."

"Right! So is there anything else you'd like to get off your chest, Sora, while we're at it?" Mr. Beaver's mocking tone made Sora snort indignantly. As he crossed his arms and gave the mammal a cynical look, Mr. Beaver shifted his gaze over to Roxas.

"Excuse me," he began, "but does your friend over there do that often?"

"Huh...?" Sora turned to his right. "Oh-"

He and the others all set their attention on Roxas, who looked surprised at the fact that he had suddenly begun to glow. Bright blue eyes flicked about inquisitively; the Nobody twisted slightly to look himself over, calming down after a moment.

"Time to go, huh?"

Roxas let out a breath and nodded at Sora. "Yeah. To be honest, I was starting to wonder when I'd have to go back..." He smiled a little and shrugged. "Oh well."

"See you later, Roxas!" exclaimed Donald in farewell. Goofy grinned and waved, "Come back soon, Roxas! Ahyuck!"

Roxas grunted and smiled at them, and then, remembering that Kairi was also there, glanced at her briefly.

"Wait, what's going on?" questioned Susan, sounding concerned.

"...And why are you all saying goodbye?" added Peter. They all looked quite bewildered.

Skyra glanced their way with arms crossed. "You'll see," she replied simply.

The light surrounding Roxas intensified, and the Pevensies and the Beavers paced slowly backwards. Soon Roxas was completely shrouded in a luminous glow that caused the snow to twinkle beneath him. Finally, when he could no longer be seen at all, the light dispersed into a swarm of bright orbs that merged back with Sora, and Roxas was gone.

Sora squirmed slightly at the strange sensation, feeling the pendant click somewhere inside his pocket. "Hah... It always feels funny when he goes back inside me," he commented aloud. He turned to look at the company in waiting, and their looks of utter shock and inability to conceive what had just happened almost made him burst out in embarrassed laughter. He settled for an apologetic, toothy grin.

The staring contest went on for a while more, and after some numb questions and a few ill-fated attempts at an explanation, the group of outsiders eventually went with the "It's complicated," approach. Their new friends tried their best to understand the bit about Roxas being a part of Sora, and then decided that they didn't want to know the rest, and so they left it at that.

Hopefully, thought Sora, this would not damage what trust they had built with the Beavers already. _Especially after that little display of humanity a few moments ago... Ah well._

Speaking of which, Mr. Beaver was exasperated. After finally thinking that he'd found two Sons of Adam and two Daughters of Eve, (plus several extra), he now had to adjust to having only two incomplete sets of three. Needless to say, he was through with thinking about the whole mess, and with Mrs. Beaver's consolement, decided that he would simply reserve judgment until they reached the mysterious Aslan's camp.

They offered each other a few ill at ease laughs, and then decided to be on their way. As they continued to cross the natural bridge, Roxas appeared again in Sora's thoughts.

_Hm... Well that went surprisingly well_, he remarked.

_Yeah... I don't think they're ever going to get over this, though...__  
_  
Roxas made a mental "sound" of agreement. _Sora, I'm still not sure if _we'll_ ever get over this..._ He sighed. _Funny, though, it seems like that pendant's been keeping me out for longer periods of time._

_Yeah. You stayed out for the whole night, didn't you? _Sora thought about the possible implications. Somehow the whole dilemma was so weird and abstract that he found he didn't really know what to do with it.

_Roxas hummed. I wonder if it's okay... Not that I'm complaining, of course._

_Haha,_ laughed Sora. _Well at least you get to rest: I still have to walk us the rest of the way!_ The Keybearer moaned at the thought of still more endless, foot-numbing, trudging and climbing through blinding snow. He was barely putting up with the steps he was taking now.

_Huh. Y'know, for once I can say that I wouldn't want to be you right now...__  
_  
Roxas' counterpart took it as a good sign, and decided that it entitled him to complain the rest of the way. Sora chuckled mentally. After a brief moment, Roxas spoke up again.

_Sora..._he said, _now that I'm back in here, there's something I wanted to talk to you about._

_Hm? What is it, Roxas?_

_It's about last night..._ Roxas paused a moment to compose his thoughts. _Did you see the way those heartless acted? They did more than just coordinate, they...predicted.__  
_  
_Hmm...They did seem a lot tougher that the usual ones...__  
_  
_No, they weren't just 'tougher', Sora_. The Nobody fought for the right words. _It...it was more than that. I felt like they could read me like a book. I mean, prediction requires_ abstract thought_, like probability and patterns.__  
_  
Sora received a flutter of anxiety from Roxas that mixed with forebodings of his own.

_Those things weren't heartless_, he concluded_, at least not normal ones..._

For a collection of moments their thoughtspace was quiet as both Sora and Roxas pondered the incident separately.

_... And Sora?__  
__  
Yes?_

_Does Kairi talk to Namine?"_

* * *

Standing alone in the morning light was a figure unknown. Havok studied the man's appearance from amongst the snow-glazed branches of a pale tree. _Blue eyes, decorative getup_, he thought. Probably a narcissist. The matrix of fingerlike twigs effectively added themselves to the needles of a nearby fir in order to provide a natural barrier behind which the assassin could conceal himself. For a moment more he considered the person's rich crimson coat and silent stature, and then, with a shiver, slipped between the fruitless boughs and descended down to the snow.

He sank deep into a mound of white upon landing, the resulting "pffft" sound causing the mysterious man to glance up from the book he had lost himself in. Havok arose from his crouching position, shook a bit of snow from his black hair, and started towards the stranger.

"So, I take it you're the one he said I'd meet?" The question was lightly spoken, but the assassin was never one to forsake caution.

Chuckling, the man in red and black took in his outward appearance before returning his attention to the leather-bound. At first, Havok thought the man wasn't going to respond, but after a moment he answered calmly with, "Well, it's not much of a meeting if we're never really going to see each other again, don't you think?"

Somehow the question seemed edged with a superior attitude that would have annoyed anyone.

_Oh, I'd love to tell you exactly what I think..._quipped Havok to himself. Swallowing his distaste, Havok let out a small breath while thinking of something different to say in the silence.

"Sooo... You like books?" Beautiful.

The person before him smirked. "Loveless is far more than just a book," he said, enthusiasm backing his words.

Havok sighed. _I'm gonna regret saying that, aren't I?_

"In it," he continued, "three friends set out to discover the Gift of the Goddess. During battle, one is taken Prisoner by the enemy. The Wanderer leaves, and the remaining one becomes a Hero..." The stranger lowered his book with scarlet gloves, finally setting his gaze on Havok for any extended period of time. "Which of the three might you be most like, I wonder?"

_Oh, so now you're interested in me._ Havok was starting to feel his eccentricity detector overloading, but he thought about the question anyway.

"Hmph... Eh, wouldn't really call myself a hero." He gazed at the snow for a second, deciding to humor the man. "Wanderer, maybe." He shrugged offhandedly.

The man in the red trench coat smiled slightly and turned to a previous page in the book. "'Ripples form over the water's surface," he quoted elegantly; "'The wandering soul knows no rest...'"

Havok furrowed his eyebrows, a slightly unsettled frown appearing. "I see... So you wax poetic _and_ psychic."

The man let the witty remark slide, but answered anyway. "Loveless is a great piece of literature to study. Although the world knows it to be an unfinished work, it has been completed in me. I've already found what I was looking for."

"Really?" Havok lowered an eyebrow in curiosity. It must have been very important, whatever it was. "So, what do you do now?"

"Protect it." The man calmly closed his cream-colored book, storing it amongst the black clothing he donned beneath his trench coat. The movement revealed a decorative sword attached to his belt. "Soon it will be my time to return to the Planet: I feel it is in danger. However, I lack a proper vessel to take me there."

Havok crossed his arms, breath crystallizing before him. "Uh-huh... Then, that must be why..."

"Why I struck a deal with the man you work for, yes." The man sighed irritably. "Though he seems to enjoy taking his time getting here."

The assassin hummed, deep contemplation following his trailing words. "Yeah, he...likes to do that, sometimes..." Havok wondered if he ought to comment more on his employer, but it was at that very moment that an umbral portal swirled into existence nearby. His deep cobalt eyes flicked to the spot.

"Speak of the devil..." commented the other man coolly as Xemnas appeared through the shadowy vortex.

The Nobody only acknowledged him with a glance, and then said, "You are both on time. Good."

"Yup, unlike someone," smirked Havok, suddenly nonchalant. He caught the curious glance of the stranger standing in front of him, but the man in red said nothing.

Xemnas, however, completely ignored Havok's previous comment. "If you two are not already acquainted, I believe introductions are in order. Havok," Xemnas gestured towards the new person, "this is Genesis Rhapsodos. Genesis, this is Havok. No need to get too comfortable as you will not likely see much of each other after this point."

"Indeed," smiled Genesis knowingly. "I assume all of our arrangements are in order?"

"Yes, of course. I shall transport you to your home world shortly after, however, I will have to accompany you there due to the dangers of the Dark Corridor. Singular passage is not recommended, without the proper protection." Xemnas turned to gaze at a few distant mountains, his side now facing the others. "Now then, what do you have to report?"

"Well," chuckled Havok humorously, "they went after some beavers and a group of kids, just like you said. Oh - and, uh..."

"Yes?"

"Well..." the assassin ruffled his raven colored hair. "Would you believe me if I said that another person randomly appeared there with them? His hair was just as crazy as that Sora kid's, 'cept it was blonde..."

It was at these words that Xemnas appeared to almost stop. With a sudden, particular look in his eyes he gazed down in consideration, and as a tiny smile crept onto his face, turned his sights back up on Havok. "Is that everything? Any observation may be valuable, no matter how small."

The younger man snickered and shrugged lightly. "Well, if you wanna get into specifics, I think the strange, tall one had a few burn marks on him. Especially the one on his right hand. Looked like a doozy..."

"I see..." Genesis was next to receiving attention from Xemnas. "Then I am correct in inferring that your assignment was successful?"

Genesis nodded, bored. "How could it have been any other way; it was so easy. I lead the kids to the dam, and made sure the one in the castle found that object." He waited a moment before adding, "He confronted the Witch, and the only other thing I noticed was that he appeared to hesitate before using his magic during battle."

Xemnas responded with nothing but silence, at first, as if retreating to an inner state of private contemplation. Havok wondered if any of that had meant anything to him.

"Interesting... Very well, then. Be at the river within the hour, at the place I designated earlier." Xemnas spoke with brisk authority, fully expectant of their obedience.

"Right," said Havok. "I'll go get my best men. They're camped not far from-"

"-No."

Havok stared at Xemnas, surprised at being cut off. He stood with his head turned towards his shoulder, body poised as if to walk away, and watched the silver-haired man approach slowly.

"I only want you there," said Xemnas. "I'll have very specific instructions for you to follow..."

"Oh-kay..." Havok followed the man's movements closely, head rotating on its axis as he passed right in front of him. However, he couldn't keep tracking him because the second Xemnas stepped out of the way, Havok saw something that was not there before and he froze, gasped quietly with stunned eyes grown wide.

There, shooting like smoke from Genesis' back, was a single jet black wing - stretched out gracefully from his left shoulder blade. Double-jointed and impossible, the long, slender wing held a regal array of neatly rowed feathers and appeared capable of folding in on itself twice. Genesis smiled and fixed him with a sharp, steady look, and then, like some half-angel, took off and sailed through the cold winter sky - a trail of black feathers falling beautifully to the earth behind him.

Havok watched for what felt like the longest of moments, until Genesis was merely a dot on the horizon. He was awoken suddenly when a hand pressed itself down onto his shoulder and he blinked, now tense. The hand's grip was strong and possessive, almost painful. It made him want to squirm.

"Now," breathed Xemnas, close behind him, "For the sake of satisfying my curiosity...tell me how you got that scar, Havok."

Whatever thoughts that were able to form in such shock were sent spiraling through his head. Never before had Havok felt so uneasy, alone, with someone else.

* * *

A little over an hour's worth of walking brought the travelers far past the Stone Bridge as the sun reached its peak in the sky. Skyra was now at the rear of the group, the beavers walked ahead as always, and Susan was saying things like, "You fight monsters with a giant key? That's not very practical."

They were roving through a wide-open plain, an expansive stretch of snow that made Sora feel both uncomfortable because they were exposed, and also somewhat eased because he could likewise spot possible threats from a mile away. He was currently trying to keep a vigilant eye on their surroundings, but the glare was killing his facial muscles and Kairi was shivering right next to him. And try as he might, there was no way Sora could keep his attention off of her.

"Are you cold?" he asked, offering his arm with a concerned smile. Kairi giggled as he placed it over her shoulder, hooking her body closer to his.

"A little," she admitted, a shade of pain crossing her eyes. "It's really just my feet, though. I can't even feel them anymore..."

Sora's eyes bored into her face, his eyebrows now pressed together. He let out a worried breath before speaking. "Hey, Donald, could you cast that heat spell on Kairi? I think you've been using it long enough, now."

"Hey, I'm the one who's freezing out here with bare feet!" retorted the duck. "Why don't you cast the spell?" Donald proceeded to "humph" and stick his beak skyward.

"Well I don't want to set her on fire!" cried Sora. "Come on, Donald, I can't control the magic that well..."

Donald would have protested and probably started a full-fledged argument, but one glance at Kairi's face was enough to cow him into hesitant silence. The princess did look cold...

"...Ah, phooey..." he eventually sighed. The magician flicked his staff and said, "Alright, alright. You need it more, Kairi..."

A wave of heat flooded Kairi with a warm glow. She hugged her body and then seemed to relax with a cute giggle. "Thanks, Donald," she said earnestly.

"Yeah, yeah, don't mention it." Donald waved his hand halfheartedly before falling in step next to the now toasty Kairi."

Mr. Beaver's impatience rained down on them from afar. "Come on, humans," he called, "while we're still young!"

Peter, who was treading alongside Lucy, said, "If he tells me to hurry up _one_ more time, I'm going to turn him into a big, fluffy hat." He stooped down and had his little sister climb onto his back. She giggled.

Sora and Kairi chuckled. Donald made a sound of agreement.

"HURRY UP!" demanded Mr. Beaver.

"He _is_ getting kind of bossy..." commented Lucy drily.

It was just then that a new sound flashed to life within the empty silence they had grown used to. Sora was just about to sigh with fatigue when he heard it chime, tinkling silver notes in a bitterly cold world. Bells.

...Bells?

In less than a second, the others heard it, too. Skyra turned first. Sora barely had the opportunity to before Mr. Beaver suddenly screamed, "It's the Witch!" Alarms went off in his head. There was a moment of stunned confusion, and then a startled rush as bodies moved around him and they were racing like madmen. Sora recalled a brief image of a sleigh drawn by reindeer.

Does the Witch drive a sleigh? Sora thought. What does she look like? Then: Need to get Kairi out of here!

"Run!" shouted Peter, dragging Lucy with him.

"Waa-a-ak!" cried Donald.

Everyone was in a mad dash for the tree line ahead. The bells rang clearly even above the rush of snow, the crash of galloping hooves roaring a good distance behind them but closing in fast. Sora tore through the snow with all his strength, trying to keep up with the Pevensies and the agile Skyra.

Faster! he pushed himself. His heart was pounding as he slammed each foot harder, hearing the snow crunch and splatter. It got inside his shoes, but he didn't care. The others made sounds of huffing and urgency. The bells were still there.

It was a race. It was all a matter of them getting to cover first. They were weighed down by their heavy coats, but the trees were only meters away...

Come on... thought Sora. Come on...!

Finally, they approached the line of forest. Sora's chest was heaving with burning lungs by the time they crossed over into the more shaded area. The Beavers lead them further in, towards a mound in the snow behind which Sora found was a little alcove. They piled into the sheltered space - pressed up against frigid dark rock - breath rushing.

Sora was crushed behind Goofy, which made it hard to see. He was still squeezing Kairi's hand. Donald and Lucy were wheezing the hardest; somebody amongst them warned everyone with a quiet "Shhh...!"

Someone approached.

Sora could not see, but he was able to hear the ominous footfalls making their way closer, slowly closer, until they finally came to rest above his head. Stiff hands covered mouths. Hearts thudded with anticipation.

There, out of Sora's view, was a shadow stretching over the powdery white snow. It paused - waited for so long - searching...

Sora began to wonder what the Witch was like. How vicious was she? Maybe she was green and wore dark robes, like Maleficent. If the two were anything alike, Sora knew he'd never want to be anywhere near her. His chest ached with his throbbing heart and the sudden instinct to hold his breath.

Seconds passed like days, and then, finally... Footsteps.

They were leaving.

Sora heard the crunch and groan of pressed snow as each step brought their hunter farther and farther away... Until all was silent. Some of them were finally able to breathe. Hushed, Lucy murmured, "Maybe she's gone..."

The Pevensies all shifted slightly. "I suppose I'll go and have a look," said Peter with a nervous sigh.

Donald nodded in a vigorous, jittery fashion, and said, "Okay...!"

"No," contended Mr. Beaver, stopping him. "You're no good to Narnia dead."

"Neither are you, Beaver," plead his wife in quiet distress.

Mr. Beaver smiled. "Thanks, dear," he nodded softly before climbing out to investigate.

The alcove grew silent in his absence. For many long moments, the only thing they could see was the plot of snow before them, framed in black rock (except for Sora, who saw only the back of Goofy's shirt). The tall fellow had a bit of a hard time hunching down low enough to sit inside. Suffice it to say, their hiding spot was extremely crowded. Even still, they waited.

And waited.

And then a dark shape popped into view, effectively causing everyone to jump and making Lucy choke out a startled, "Ahh!"

"Jeez, Mr. Beaver!" hissed Sora, but the mammal ignored him.

"Come out!" goaded the beaver, looking like he couldn't possibly be more ecstatic. "I hope you've all been good, 'cause there's someone here to see ya!"

Though curious, the fugitives in hiding gradually emerged from the little cave and followed Mr. Beaver up a small hill. There, regarding their approach with a broad smile and an even broader waistline, was someone most of them thought they would never see. Most of them gasped.

"Santa!" exclaimed Donald and Goofy simultaneously

"Oh. My. Gosh," blurted Kairi, screeching to a halt. She turned give Sora the most wide-eyed look he'd ever seen.

He shot a glance at her and laughed.

"... Merry Christmas, sir," grinned Lucy as they neared.

The man nodded warmly down at her. "It certainly is, Lucy..." he agreed, "...since you have arrived."

Susan was exasperated, much to no-one's surprise. "Look," she breathed with a flicker of weariness, "I've put up with a lot since we got here, but_ this_..." She gestured towards the large man in dark red. Peter answered her with a gesture, like, "I don't understand it any more than you do".

Skyra was handling it only slightly better than they were. "This can't be happening..." she muttered with her hand over her forehead.

"Hahaha! Hey there, Santa," chuckled Sora with a wave and a toothy grin. he then remarked,"You look a lot different than you did in Christmas Town."

"Hello again, Sora," nodded Santa in return. "Yes, things do tend to change from world to world, as I'm sure you are well aware."

Lucy gaped up at Sora. "You've met Father Christmas before?" she uttered in amazement. Sora only grinned and cradled his hands around the back of his head coolly.

"We thought you were the Witch," stated Peter.

Father Christmas nodded before glancing backwards at the sleigh resting behind him. "Yes, sorry about that," he apologized. "But, in my defense, I have been driving one of these longer than the Witch."

"I thought there was no Christmas in Narnia," queried Susan.

"Not for a long time," replied the man. "But the hope you have brought, your Majesties, is finally starting to weaken the Witch's power. Still, I dare say you could do with these!"

Everyone watched as Santa lumbered over towards his sleigh and began to rummage through the bloated sack which took up an entire compartment. He removed a smaller bag and walked back towards them.

"Presents!" cheered Lucy. Ardeo cried out alongside her and did several excited circles on her shoulder before suddenly taking off towards Santa. The dragon gave a musical warble as he swooped in front of the man's jolly face; Santa Clause held up a gentle hand for him to perch on and chortled deeply.

"Why, hello there, Ardeo," said Santa pleasantly. "Have you been behaving like a good little dragon?" The reptile in question nodded and flared his wings with another harmonious cry. Santa laughed. "Of course you have. Don't worry - I have something special here just for you." Out of his pocket, the man produced a tiny object wrapped in a protective sheath. He removed what was inside and handed it to Ardeo, who snapped it into his mouth and flew back to Lucy with an excited squeal.

"Chicken liver," remarked Santa with a smile. "They always gobble it right up..."

Ardeo called out happily while ripping apart the tasty morsel. Lucy giggled. "Now then...The juice of the fire flower," explained Father Christmas as he held out a cordial of red fluid to Lucy. "One drop will cure any injury. And though I hope you never have to use it..." He handed her a dagger.

"Thank you, sir," said Lucy quietly, handling the object with care. "But I think...I could be brave enough."

"I'm sure you could," commented Santa gravely. "But battles are ugly affairs".

Sora nodded in agreement.

Father Christmas turned to Susan next. "Susan," he addressed, "trust in this bow, and it will not easily miss." He provided from his sack an ornate ivory bow and a matching quiver full of arrows.

She took them, gazing upon their colors, and remarked, "What happened to 'battles are ugly affairs'?"

Santa chuckled, his eyes bright behind rosy cheeks. "And, though you don't seem to have trouble making yourself heard..." Susan took what lie in Santa's outstretched hand - what appeared to be a white horn engraved with a carving of a dragon's head at the mouth of the instrument.

"Blow on this, and wherever you are, help will come."

Susan thanked him; the man turned next to the older brother. "And, Peter," said Father Christmas as he removed a sword and shield from his bag. "The time to use these may be near at hand."

Peter handled the decorative equipment with somber care. The shield was of a shiny metallic alloy and was emblazoned with the image of a red lion rearing up on it's hind legs. The eldest brother unsheathed the sword, who's scabbard was similarly decorated, to gaze upon the double-edged blade. "Thank you, sir," he said in gratitude.

Santa stepped back to look at them all. Donald, seeing that the Pevensies had all received something, jumped up to wave at their benefactor. "Hey!" exclaimed the duck, "Don't we get anything?"

"Ho ho ho," chortled the man. "Well, Donald, you all hardly need any more weapons. However, there is one last thing... Sora." The Keybearer glanced up questioningly as Santa pulled a strange dome shaped object from his sack. "For your missing friend... I believe he was in need of one of these?"

Sora held out his hands to receive the thing, felt the chill of metal and plastic as he noticed the padding and straps that were attached to it. After a second, he said, "It's a helmet." No one else seemed to understand, but Sora smiled as he examined the present. "Oh yeah...me and him were joking that he needed one. Haha..." Then Sora shot his eyes back up again. "Wait, does that mean...?"

Santa nodded with a grin. "Yes, Riku is doing just fine."

Kairi's eyes sparkled and she turned to give Sora a spirited hug. Sora returned it and let out a relieved breath, seeming to relax a little as a happy chuckle escaped them both. Donald and Goofy cheered and jumped for joy behind them.

"Thank you, sir," said Sora. "I'll be sure to give it to him. Though, I wonder if he'll believe me, haha..."

The man acknowledged him and placed his hands on his hips. "Now then," he addressed them all. "They are tools...not toys. Bare them well and wisely. Now, I best be off. Winter is almost over and things do pile up when you've been gone a hundred years!" Santa lumbered over to the front seat of his sleigh and took hold of the reins. "... Long live Aslan!" he called. "And Merry Christmas!"

The reindeer harnessed to the wide sleigh shook their heads and beat the snow with their hooves, snorting the air with puffs of white steam. At the flick of the reins they pushed, at first slowly, but soon they were off at a full gallop. Santa waved merrily as he gained ground.

"Bye...! See you later, Santa!" they waved back. "Merry Christmas!"

As the jolly old man slowly disappeared into the white mounds of crisp snow, Lucy turned to .Susan with a look of smug satisfaction on her face. "Told you he was real," she grinned.

Susan opened her mouth, but was forced to settle for a dirty look that was offset by a smile she failed to restrain.

Sora and the gang were still celebrating the good news of their friend. Amongst the commotion, Peter spoke up. "Did you hear what he said...? 'Winter is almost over'. You know what that means...

Everyone paused whatever they were doing to consider what he was saying. The young man breathed crystallized air as the sound of jingling bells faded into the distance. He looked at them all.

"... No more ice."

* * *

I was just as Peter had said.

There was a rushing sound, a dull roar that pervaded the area, made itself known in their ears, echoing and beating relentlessly on the trees all around. It was muffled, though, nearly quiet, rather like a "shhh" that patiently waited for the world to fall silent.

As Sora stood with chilled skin, staring down over the cliff-like banks of the river, he wondered what a waterfall might say if the world stopped to pay attention to it. Would it talk or sing, or just rage louder? Either way, Sora figured, that's what this one was about to do, for a shelf of snow and ice extended on either side of the steep drop from bank to bank – the last part of the river that was yet to melt. Beneath the mask of ice was a flowing undercurrent that was sure to rupture the calm façade at any moment, like an eruption waiting to happen- and they had to cross it.

The Pevensies, the Beavers, and the outsiders looked on together, and in an instant a decision was made. Peter, knowing that time was of the essence, announce, "We have to cross, now!"

Without retort, everyone else followed, making a hasty, oh-so-careful descent on the slippery stone and silt bank that jutted out like tiny steps down the steep drop. They reached the treacherous ice sheet in moments, and as Lucy climbed, asked, "Don't beavers make dams?"

"I'm not _that_ fast, dear," mused Mr. Beaver, already on the ice.

Donald was having some difficulty navigating the rocks, his webbed feet not exactly well-suited for such an activity. "Wak! ..." he uttered as his feet slipped beneath him. "Uh-oh…"

"Donald! Careful…" said Sora, reaching for him. But, unable to keep his grip in the frosted stone, the duck let go and plummeted the last few feet to the ice. He and his feathered behind touched down rather roughly, the blunt momentum causing the ice to instantly split with a _crack_!

"Waaaak!" cried Donald in fright, literally flying several feet into the air. The broken slab of ice floated back into place ominously; the frozen waterfall seemed to tremble around them. Everyone held their breath. Mr. Beaver hissed quietly. Peter, who was still at the edge of the bank, said, "Come on!"

But Susan, who had just stepped onto the treacherous platform, became keenly aware of the imminent danger. "Wait!" she commanded. "Can't we just think about this for a minute?"

Peter brushed past her with Lucy in hand. "We don't _have_ a minute!" he retorted, urgency in his voice. Sora took a few meticulous steps onto the snow-covered ice behind them.

The oldest sister glared back at Peter. "I was just trying to be realistic," she reasoned, nose flared.

"No," shot back Peter, "you were trying to be _smart_…as usual!"

One more step cut him short, however, when his weight caused a rumbling break in the ice on which he stood. Quickly, he moved back, with the much smaller Lucy leaping away as well; the crack splintered and grew like a glacial spider web and Mr. Beaver breathed "Wait." And then, "Maybe I should go first."

Peter eyed the spot, breath caught in his throat, and then bobbed his head numbly. "… Maybe you should…"

Skyra, Goofy, and Kairi clung to the frost bank with numb fingers as the beaver stepped forward on webbed feet. Gingerly, he tested his weight, nose twitching and every fur and whisker quivering as the ice murmured in response to his movements.

Anticipation grew heavy in the air. Ardeo chattered nervously and paced back and forth along Lucy's shoulders, crying out suddenly when Mr. Beaver caused a section of the ice to shift. He froze.

Mrs. Beaver chuckled anxiously. "You've been sneaking second helpings, haven't you?" she accused lightly.

Her husband shrugged and laughed quietly, glancing back at them with a sideways smile that seemed out of place considering the situation. "Well, you never know which meal could be your last!" he called back. "... Especially with your cooking."

At this point, the plump mammal had to edge his way around a crumbling spot, and as he maneuvered, decided to go at it backwards, using his broad tail to at the unstable ice. He was now a little more than halfway across. Icicles the size of Sora's arm dripped along the rough face of the frozen waterfall.

Sora glanced at Donald. "Hey, Donald," he breathed, "do you think we can harden the ice with a blizzard spell?"

The duck crossed his arms doubtfully. "It's too weak," he answered. "Unless we use a really big spell to cover the whole thing at once, any more weight could break it." He turned to regard the area in which the ice met the steep bank. "I _was_ thinking of spreading some ice along the sides to keep it a little more intact, though… Still, it's that waterfall that's the problem."

The Keybearer upturned his gaze to said waterfall. The Pevensies began to cross together, slowly, as Mr. Beaver neared the other side. Skyra, Kairi, and Goofy climbed down tentatively onto the ice and watched the other three humans cross over on the pat made by Beaver. The ice rumbled. They quickened their pace.

Susan watched each footstep as if she might sink into a pit of lava. "If Mum knew what we were doing…" she trailed, muscles stiff.

"Mum's not here!" countered Peter.

Halfway in, Ardeo perked up his ears and erupted into an uproar of alarmed cries. For a few seconds, no one knew why. Everyone's attention was drawn to the dragon; Sora got an uncomfortable feeling in his gut, images of Nightmare heartless flashing before him. "What's up with him," he asked.

Skyra shot her up to the waterfall's edge, jaw line tense. "Of all the worst possible times…!" she growled.

The next thing Sora beheld was the rush of grey and white fur as wolves – eight or more of them – appeared suddenly on the ice above. Ear-splitting howls and roaring barks erupted from their throats upon discovering their targets, and it was with terrible ferocity that they raced to the other side ahead of them. Bits of snow fell away from their paws.

Sora had been told who they were: the Witch's Secret Police.

"Oh, no!" cried Lucy.

Peter reacted immediately. "Run!" he urged. Their efforts were in vain, however, and the wolves just too quick. In less than three seconds the wolves had crossed, and two of them plunged head first down the cliff-like bank.

The beasts descended with ravenous agility to cut off their escape. Mr. Beaver's fur bristled as he bore his teeth in every effort to look menacing, but the rodent was swiftly overtaken by the much larger canine. One brutal tackle had him pinned down by the scruff of his neck, struggling and hissing, but effectively incapacitated. The larger wolf stepped past him, unconcerned, and directly towards the three humans.

Mrs. Beaver, upon seeing her husband's peril, cried "No!" and moved forward, only to halt when Maugrim obstructed her path. Behind the Pevensies, Sora, Kairi, and Donald started forward in an effort of assistance, but were forced to pause when their weight further cracked the ice.

"Careful, guys!" warned Goofy. "We can't all cross at once!"

The Pevensies were standing close together; Peter had his sword out and pointed at the threat, but Maugrim kept right on walking, an air of unimpressed indifference surrounding each step. His imposing bulk was a force in of itself as he approached in calculating strides. "Put that down, boy," he sneered in contempt. "Someone could get hurt."

Sora could not see Peter, but from behind he appeared to hesitate, both arms holding the blade stiffly forward. _If only I could get over there!_ cursed Sora.

Mr. Beaver struggled violently against his captor. "Don't worry about me!" he roared, "Run 'im through!"

Water rushed. The platform of ice crackled somewhere deep below them, and Sora decided that there was no time to lose.

Ardeo growled and snapped from Lucy's shoulder, his glare set on the wolf, pupils wide and black. The girl held him close with a frozen whimper.

Above the racket, Susan roared, "Stop, Peter! Maybe we should listen to him!"

Maugrim glanced at her briefly. "Smart girl..." he intoned, a deep and smooth craftiness in his voice. He ignored Mr. Beaver's grunts and looked from the sword pointed at his chest to the eyes of its wielder, his grey irises like steel.

Mr. Beaver was livid. "Don't listen to him!" he screamed. "Kill him! Kill him now!"

A sudden break of ice. Sora growled and shouted, "Peter! Snap out of it; we have to do something!"

The girls turned around, Susan in surprise and slight fury. Peter glanced back to see that Sora was now just a few steps behind them, but he could not keep his sight away from Maugrim for more than a second.

The wolf narrowed his piercing gaze at Sora, apparently unimpressed. "Meddle in someone else's affairs, Outsider," he snarled. "You're no Son of Adam and you don't fool me. We were told of your coming by another visitor, and your 'Keyblades' have confirmed it." A wisp of steam hissed out of his mouth. "Now go."

"No way!" Sora's hands became fists in his defiance. "I'm not letting you do whatever you want!"

"Consider this, then." The Captain of the Secret Police inhaled slowly before letting out a rising, high howl. Responding in concert, the other wolves on the cliff bank erupted into a symphony of voracious barks. The discordant sound assaulted their ears and made Sora flinch and he was very much confused when a plethora of black spots suddenly entered his vision. Only when he began to hear rough, ragged wing beats and the unmistakable chitter of grinding metal did he understand why.

This had nothing to do with fatigue or optical hallucinations. Something in Sora's gut sank when he turned about to see the oily black heartless that hovered over them with wretched, leach-like mouths.

Gasps of shock and fear were heard from both the Pevensies and from those standing behind Sora. Ardeo hid with ears flat inside Lucy's collar, emitting a nervous whine as he glanced restlessly from one ugly creature to the next. On the shore banks on either side, rows of lupine Nightmare heartless glared down darkly.

"I was informed that your weapons have the effect of attracting more heartless," continued Maugrim. "So summon it, if you're so intent on stopping me...and then we can see how much weight this ice can hold." The large grey wolf sent Sora a piercing stare that held no pity or remorse. "Are you really sure you want to play this game, human?"

Sora clenched his jaw, a tense breath of air hissing out of him. He glanced at his friends behind him and then back at Maugrim, his right hand tightening at where his Keyblade should be.

"Of course, I can offer a way out..." said the wolf. "Leave now, and perhaps I'll banish the heartless already under my control."

Susan looked as if she were about to snap, but rather than panicking completely, turned her frustration on Keybearer. "Not again, Sora! Just stop it already; this has nothing to do with you!"

Maugrim gave the barest of chuckles.

"No!" cried Sora, gesturing with his hands an expression of frustration. "You...you can't trust what he says!"

"Sora's right! He's a conniving - Aaahhhh!" Mr. Beaver was cut off by a crushing bite at the base of his neck, causing him to stop squirming out of sheer pain. The wolf standing over him pressed his head and torso down into the ice.

Peter eyed the heartless bleakly. "... I'm not seeing much of a choice here, Sora..." he breathed. His younger sister huddled close to him. A low rumble echoed around them, announcing yet another crack lurching somewhere deep below.

"The girl said it best," chimed Maugrim darkly. "This is none of you business. So why don't you just stay out of it."

At his words the heartless raced forward - a mob of black wings that seemed to shred through the whiteness in front of Sora, cutting off his sharp retort. Like a wall they pushed at him, squirming and gaping with their parasitic mouths in silent squeals, and Sora fell back in an instant of sheer horror, mind numb as he hit the unstable ice. A layer of snow chilled his fingers as he slowly began to move, breathing out with closed eyes. He thought he heard someone call his name, probably Kairi.

Roxas buzzed within his mind_. I'm alright_, Sora answered_. But we have to do something, fast; there's no time...!_

He felt the Nobody's feelings of urgency. We _could use Glide.._.he offered, _but Kairi and Skyra can't...__  
_  
Sora began to lift himself, staring down into the footprints that littered the snow layer. _I was thinking an Aero spell to lift everyone off the ice..._

... But now there's heartless on either bank, finished Roxas.

Sora curled his fingers tight at the invading cold, clumps of snow lodged messily inside his robe-like coat. He shuddered, searching. But then, ripping though his frantic calculations came a sound he thought he had forgotten. It was so unnatural, a distorted sucking that rushed above the muffled water as darkness tore itself a hole in the air. Sora's eyes shot upward - and the sight kept the breath from entering his lungs.

There, materializing from darkness, every inch magnified in the sunlight, was Xemnas in full. He stepped out from his portal, black boots resting only inches from Sora's arm. First, the bottom of the coat filled up Sora's vision and then he lifted his head - unbelieving and frozen - and felt cold. Not like the chill permeating his body from the outside world, but true cold that turned his chest into ice.

The shadow stood tall over him, the image of his amber-eyed face branded deep inside his mind, and all Sora knew was that he could no longer move.

Xemnas stared down, seeming to wait an agonizing eternity, before speaking. "I come so far just to meet you again, and all you give me is silence?" His voice resonated deep and calm; he drew his crimson blades in a sizzling hiss, and brought one pointing slowly over the boy lying under him. "As insolent as always, aren't you, Sora...?"

The red of Xemnas' Etherial weapons shimmered and reflected in Sora's eyes as he stared, only barely hearing Roxas call his name over and over.

Suddenly a torrent of light and ice and one metal shield assaulted Xemnas from his left side, and there was a shuddering flash as a magical barrier absorbed the brunt of their attack. The Knight caught his shield, and with a glance Xemans sent out thorned tendrils of black and white to swipe at them. All who had attacked were thrown back with a collective cry, and Donald, being lighter than Kairi and Goofy, crashed bodily with the rocky bank before falling again onto the ice. Goofy scrambled over to his side and did something very rare; he turned towards Xemnas with a glare so furious that one could have seen sparks of anger forming between the two.

The shouts of his friends seemed to bring Sora back to his senses; he blinked and mumbled, "Donald..." while trying to get up, but Xemnas only inched the blade forward and commanded, "Stay."

Sora felt the hot, electrified tip aimed at his heart, and obeyed.

"I have a message to give you," stated Xemnas, "and it's my intention you receive it in full."

The heartless beside them parted, and between the rapid wing beats came Maugrim's gruff voice. "You... Why have you returned here?"

Xemnas answered without taking his eyes off Sora's. "I came to watch. Thank you, Maugrim, for setting this up so well..." The Pevensie children stared back in utter disbelief. A second passed in which Maugrim growled audibly.

"No need to be concerned;" Xemnas assured, "I will not interfere with your plans any further." He blinked at the Keyblade Wielder, who was beginning to make an interesting, albeit predictable, face. "Now then... Listen well, Sora; yours is a lesson most grim."

"I don't care about any lessons that come out of you...!" growled Sora. He stared up at Xemnas, hard, with fingers clenched. "You've already done enough. What else could you possibly want from me, Xemnas?"

The Nobody smiled steadily, and made a sound not unlike a chuckle. He watched Sora's expression tighten before answering, "I want you to fight in vain, and despair as you watch your friends slip away."

In that instant, as the beating of wings seemed to intensify, Xemnas simply vanished, and was gone - like a ghost. But then, shadowed by the light of the sun, something rushed forward and seized Sora violently by the throat of his collar, and before he could so much as grab whatever had taken hold of him, he was airborne.

"Sora!" cried Kairi, only able to watch as Sora was lifted high above them by what she could only describe as a person with...a single black wing? Within the second, the mysterious man was high enough to toss Sora by his shirt onto the top of the frozen waterfall. The figure dressed in red then drew a long, crimson blade and beat his wing in preparation to strike.

Several feet to Kairi's right stood Skyra, who currently did not share her concern for the Key Bearer's well being. Rather, her attention was on Xemnas, who had reappeared several paces back from his last position and was now hovering barely an inch over the edge of the ice.

Out of the four of them, Skyra had been the only one to avoid Xemnas' attack. Without looking at the others, she gazed, fixated, at the Nobody - the one whom they opposed. Enemy of the King and all the worlds. With a trained eye she absorbed him entirely. His shape, his exact distance, everything within the slow span of three seconds. Steadily, she unsheathed two knives, one in each hand, and took aim...

Whoosh! A flick and a twist, and the wicked sharp knives were sent singing towards their target. Skyra came out of a backhand throw, expecting to see Xemnas either gone or turned into a pin cushion. But instead she realized the Nobody had, with only minimal effort, caught the fatal projectiles dead in their tracks. His movements had been so incredibly swift, efficient - he gripped them surely in both hands, as if he'd delicately plucked the knives right out of the air.

Skyra was annoyed at the apparent ease with which he had evaded her. How had he learned such skill?

She initiated a quick follow-up toss, but before her hand could leave her vest Xemnas reacted with a blindingly fast assault. Skyra twisted low, just as her own throwing knives whizzed past her, and watched them stick jaggedly into the cliff face at their backs. It was then, tracing a path from one blade to the next, that Skyra noticed who was standing at the very cleft of the steep bank.

Her vision zeroed in, and everything else ceased to matter.

Havok sneered down at her, ignored by the heartless not far away.

The next several seconds passed in relative chaos. Goofy assisted an unsteady Donald into a fragile standing position, and the Pevensies were trapped between the threat of Maugrim and the terror of the winged figure's elevated onslaught upon Sora. The heartless were everywhere, and Kairi had probably never been more scared - especially with Xemnas still there.

She didn't know exactly why; maybe it was his imposing presence or because he'd threatened her friends before - or because of his ability to literally be cold and uncaring. But as she tried to process him, just take in the fact that he was there, something else caught her attention, and Xemnas', too.

Kairi almost didn't catch it, but there by the banks, morphing into reality like a shade, was a figure so dark and indefinable that she almost thought something had somehow caught fire and caused a cloud of smoke to appear. That was impossible, of course, especially once that figure took shape and leapt with sudden ferocity at Xemnas, who readied his blades in retaliation.

The mysterious person closed the gap in a single dash, his large black scythe extended in preparation to attack. Once Xemnas realized who the figure was, however, he fled with a snarl, a storm of jagged dark wisps covering his escape.

The scythe shredded through cold, empty air, and the hooded figure landed smoothly on the ice. The resulting tremor caused an instant break in the fragile platform, but the man did not seem to notice, or at least care. The figure recovered and stepped back, just as the chunk of ice severed itself from the main body and began to idly float away from the space that Xemnas had previously occupied.

Appearing to curse his luck, the person clenched his hands into fists while staring at the spot where Xemnas should have been, his composure stiffening in a mild display of vexation. Then, seconds later, he finally turned his head to regard all the noise - taking brief notice of Sora and his winged assailant, the wolves, the Pevensies. And the young girl standing helplessly on the ice, all wide-eyed and looking straight at him.

Kairi had no idea what to think of the shadow standing before her, the black of his cloak set in such startling contrast to the snow. What little she could see of his face was ashen gray and slashed with strange black marks. His expression was impossible to read. The white of his irises bored into hers, glowing faintly within the shade of his hood.

A moment passed, and dark smoke began to emanate from the stranger's body. His gaze lingered on Kairi as she watched him break apart into a formless cloud that billowed as it fled to somewhere far out of sight into the woods.

Between her curiosity and the danger she was in, however, Kairi was forced to return her attention back to the danger - both hers and that of Sora's. And right now she wanted to scream, because he was under attack and she was stuck there. "Sora!" she called.

"...Kairi!" grunted Sora's voice, distant.

After attempting several more times to communicate with him, she realized that no clangs of crashing metal were erupting from above, meaning that the mysterious man was attacking, but Sora was not using his Keyblade. He did not want to attract more heartless - no matter what, it seemed - and Kairi wanted to break down in frustration because that meant that Sora was defenseless, and she was useless.

Powerless. Again.

Tears began building up in her eyes but she bared her teeth, nostrils flaring with her quickened breaths. She found solid footing and then glared upward, stiffening her arms in trembling fury.

If there was one thing Kairi knew at that moment, it was that this was _not_ happening again. Keyblade or no, she was stopping this. Light came easily to her - she would fight with that, even if she had to control it without the help of her Keyblade!

"_Get. Away_!" she roared, pulling back one hand to form an orb of white light magic. It was pulsing and unstable, bolstering with barely contained energy that matched her anger. She sent it flying like a bolt; it just missed her target. She did it again, and again, but the winged man swooped boldly about, diving at Sora while mostly ignoring her.

"Come on; we need to help him!" she exclaimed.

When she turned, however, Skyra was rigid, and looking in the wrong direction. It was only then that she recognized a young man standing above them, garbed in an assortment of dark clothes and special gear.

Kairi's eyes flicked from Skyra to Havok and back, a sliver of dread gripping her insides. "Skyra..." she started, but the warning had no effect."Skyra! Listen to me, you can't go after him!"

Unfortunately, her words barely even put a dent in the barrier between Skyra and most of the world. The girl looked like an enraged animal that was barely able to stop itself from breaking out into a frenzy.

"She's right, Skyra," said Goofy firmly. "Ya can't go: we need ya here!"

If there was a part of Skyra that was listening to them, a part that thought rationally and actually understood what they were saying, it was quickly overwhelmed, crushed, and tossed aside - and Kairi saw clearly the exact moment in which it happened. A snarl set on Skyra's face and she bolted across the wet, melting ice. All the screaming and pleading that Kairi could muster had no power to stop the older girl from scaling the cliff face within seconds, snatching her embedded knives along the way, and leaping just high enough to bypass the wolf heartless and shoot out of reach. The Nightmares rippled with ferocious intent, but, under the command of Maugrim, stayed put.

"No!" cursed Kairi, head wrapped roughly in her arms, eyes squeezed shut. "Skyra!"

Bursts of intense cries rang, frenetically, from somewhere behind them. Eventually, Kairi looked back towards the Pevensies and noticed that Ardeo was attempting to break away from the cloud of parasitic heartless that had surrounded the group like a jaded black shroud. The slippery creatures clung tightly and attempted to latch onto him, but with much squawking and flapping, the dragon was finally able to free himself.

Ardeo wavered fifteen feet above now, crying out and making gurgling noises with his throat while staring off in the direction Skyra had gone, as if he was unable to decide on a course of action. He flew back and forth and then back again in desperation, craning his head from one side to the other, eyes flickering brightly. Finally, the dragon unleashed a barrage of flaming violet streaks to burn and singe the heartless. He tried to shoot some at Maugrim, but the wolf evaded them and growled menacingly. Ardeo, now without options, looked sadly back at Kairi and the others before winging his way after his human companion.

The Princess of Heart followed Ardeo's progress with eyes rubbed red, and when he was gone she again set her sights on the winged swordsman.

"Come on!" she roared at the others, firing orbs of light even faster than before.

Goofy sighed, tried to straighten his slouch, and readied his shield. Donald winced, but was able to stand on his own.

They were going to fight as the last moments of that waterfall's lifespan trickled down to zero.

Meanwhile, somewhere above, Skyra thrashed her way deeper into the wood, every step bringing her closer and closer to Havok, and, whether she knew it or not, to Xemnas.

* * *

After being hit with a blizzard, nearly frozen, and almost dying of hypothermia, Riku marveled at how he had still somehow managed to remain impressed with the snow. He stomped forward with his chin tucked as far down as possible into the collar of his coat, fists stuffed adamantly into his pockets. Moisture clung to his black scarf from each breath, but he endured the discomfort it caused because no matter how hard he tried, he was never able to inhale through his nose without first using the scarf to take the frigid bite out of the air. He mainly kept going in a straight line - head down, eyes peeking out only to see the ground directly in front of him.

His right side was predominantly nothing but a wavering field of white, with a cliffside and some trees in the distance. To his left - the meandering edge of a forest to which he walked parallel.

And up ahead...well, that wasn't much to look at, either.

Riku was beginning to feel the inevitable effects of the snow that had snuck into his shoes and melted there. The stuff was irritatingly persistent in making his toes and heels numb - no matter how neatly he avoided trudging through it - and quite honestly he was getting tired of having to squint through the snow's white glare. Made his eyebrows ache.

Still, the world was beautiful, and he couldn't deny that. Step by step he bided his time, lapsing into periods of mindless wanderings only to resurface and wonder numbly if his friends were nearby. How far would he have to go? The next ridge? The next tree line? How many miles until...wait...

He came to a gradual halt.

... What was that?

He glanced down and blinked. There had been a twinge of something, a tingling electricity in his spine. He thought he could recognize it as tremble of danger, and yet, nothing around him should have stimulated such a feeling...

In his confusion entered a voice.

"Oh Riku, you seem to have lost your way..." it said, familiar. Behind him.

With eyes flared, he spun, already knowing who it was. The darkness reached up, forming a portal as a figure stepped into being in the pristine snow. The man was exactly as Riku last remembered him. His tall form was garbed in that white, black-streaked coat, his silver hair livid, eyes quite alive. Two boots stepped down and sank two inches.

The Corridor of Darkness swirled and faded; a blaze of black and purple ignited at Riku's hand. On reflex he leapt backwards, Keyblade raised over his head, a ball of dark firaga writhing at his palm. His ocean eyes narrowed.

"And I suppose you just stopped by to give me directions," he spat sardonically, every muscle tense. Compressed breath hissed through both his nostrils and locked teeth.

Xemnas merely blinked and shifted his head slightly. Somehow he made such a simple motion look so sinister. "In a sense..." he answered, slowly."Forgive me for not showing myself in person until now. You could say that I..." he paused for the right word, "...found it necessary to conceal myself."

Riku's lip curled in disgust. "Yeah, well it's about time," he hissed. "You've got a lot to answer for." His heart became noticeably loud as he met the Nobody's steady amber glare with one of his own, the organ like a swelling, pulsating thing that beat around inside him like some riveting machine about to slowly shake itself loose. Each thrumming spasm was fire, raw and roaring - a consuming flame. It ignited in his veins, making his chest burn. It was what Riku thought was likely a combination of adrenaline and hate.

That photo of the girl and her dead father floated vividly before his vision.

"Don't we all..." Xemnas looked unconcerned as he shifted his gaze to Riku's burning hand. The man's calm visage assumed a state of wry amusement. "It appears you are able to use you dark fire once more," he remarked. "I hadn't predicted you would get over it so soon..."

A flash of something shuddered inside the back of his neck. He flicked his eyes down to his left hand - then back again - breath catching in revelation. "How did you-?" A cold flash pressed itself into his skin.

Xemnas seemed to have expected the reaction. He began pacing, slowly forward, a satisfied smile playing on his lips. He gave a quietly mocking chuckle. "You didn't think I knew...about you little _accident_?"

He said the word so precisely. Something in Riku twitched.

"I can only imagine how it must torment you..." The Nobody seemed to craft every word like venomous needles that stuck themselves in Riku. "Being capable of inflicting such damage on a close friend..."

Xemnas continued step by step, crushing the snow beneath him with each imposing stride. Closer. Closer. Riku seemed unable to move. His enemy's golden eyes filled his vision.

Xemnas wore one of his empty expressions of sympathy, his eyebrows furrowed in a slightly upward position, as if filled with some sadness. "And to think," he said with pity, "you finally thought yourself finished with hurting the wrong people."

Somehow Riku's mind had become wholly absorbed on those mere words. They reverberated around inside him, banging in his head and gripping some indefinable part of him in a crushing fist. He was tipping, looking down over edge of a steep cliff...

...but then finally he wrenched himself away. A single shake of his head and a snarling growl revived his senses. He was doing it again, trying to get inside his head - just like Ansem.

"Enough!" he roared with a slash of his Keyblade, his glare filled with new fire. "The last thing I need is a lecture - I asked you how the _HELL_ you knew!"

Xemnas stopped walking. He allowed a breath of a chuckle, his words so clear in the quiet morning. "How else do you think, if I was not there to see it myself? I was told, of course." The man appeared greatly satisfied at having been able to push him to that point.

"Who?"

Internally, Riku took measures to calm himself down; he wasn't about to lose it in front of Xemnas, not if he could help it.

Xemnas smiled.

"Neither I nor Havok have entered your vessel..." he said candidly, then hinted, "Perhaps you should try asking someone who was actually there."

"What...?" Riku blinked, more puzzled than shocked. He thought for a second, and then squinted his eyes in obvious distaste. "Hmph... Did you really think I was actually going to buy that?" he sneered. "I'd have expected you to be better at this."

The Nobody upturned his palms so innocently. "I do not think it is me you should worry about falling for." His head tilted just slightly to one side." I stand to gain nothing from her. She came to me."

_'Her?'_ thought Riku.

"You mean...Skyra?" he asked tentatively, and Xemnas indicated that he was correct. Riku's gut twisted sickeningly and he renewed his glare. "But she has no reason to do that!"

Xemnas answered simply. "Maybe it was her connections with Havok that drew her in. A bit of information in exchange for his whereabouts, perhaps? You yourself already knew how much of a danger she was."

His logic was eerily believable...but, no. No, Xemnas' words were poison - and yet he couldn't help but answer with the next thing that came to mind: something predictable but true...

"She wouldn't-"

"-Tell me, Riku," interrupted Xemnas. "Can you honestly say that you know anything about her?"

A blink. Riku opened his mouth to answer but paused, blinking again when he realized why.

"No? Not even where she came from, or why she's obsessed with killing Havok?"

Riku found that he had no answer for either of those questions. "She wouldn't tell me..." he mumbled, casting a tense but hopeless glare at the ground. He should have known this would happen, but still...His eyes searched every contour of Xemnas's face, carefully, as if trying to decipher how much was truth. He shouldn't even be listening to him, and yet...

"Nothing, I see." Xemnas shook his head very slightly and looked dully at Riku. "How odd, don't you think, that I knew before you did." Now Xemnas seemed less interested, bored, even. "It seems the truth just isn't as common as we like to think it is," he reflected tonelessly - a soft, bladed taunt.

"Tch!" Riku snarled and expelled a hot, roaring breath that left his lungs completely empty. An intense ripple in his arm made him tighten his grip on the keyblade; he growled, "And just how am I supposed to find the truth when you're involved?!" The teen's eyes blazed brightly, infuriated and hot.

"I'm sure you'll figure out a way..." uttered Xemnas. Without warning he vanished instantly into the air, startling Riku as he re-atomized a few meters to his right, his silhouette now against the tree line.

"In the meantime," he said brusquely, "you might want to search for your friends in this direction."

Soulless, yellow orbs fixated themselves on Riku. For a moment they watched, and then, "Farewell."

And with that, Xemnas summoned a Corridor beneath his feet. Riku started. "Wait," he called, "Xemnas!"

But then jagged shreds of darkness raced up and swallowed the man, and he was gone.

Riku stared at the spot where Xemnas had just been, rigid and frozen, too late. He didn't hear another portal open nearby.

Riku's breath was tense, a heavy current of air in a frozen world - the only thing moving, it seemed.

...He had been there.

He had been right there!

He endured a shiver.

Riku couldn't even...he never would have thought that seeing Xemnas would affect him like this...

And what he'd said...

His hand was still on fire. Riku squeezed his eyes shut and then, with a terse "tch!", lashed out with it. He grabbed his forehead hard and let his shoulders sag, not caring to look at how he'd scorched the ground behind him.

There was something off-balanced in the tilt of his body. The metallic Keyblade in his grip seemed so heavy.

Finally, the sound of distant shouting shook him. Using every shred of sanity to push the thought of Xemnas aside, Riku kicked off in the direction the Nobody had indicated.

* * *

Roaring was all he could hear.

It was not so much the rushing of the river beneath him as it was the air blasting in and out of his lungs, each desperate gulp followed by a heaving ejection containing the sheer force of a tidal wave. The stinging air had shocked the inside of his throat again and again until the tissue felt raw and burning; his lips were cracked and numb from the brutal cold. Sora was sick and tired of breathing, of moving like this, but he did it anyway. He had to.

Above him, diving about with the ferocity of an arrow, was the object of his worries. The winged warrior in red easily avoided the flurries of light firing up from below (which Sora knew were Kairi's), and thundered down at him with blade extended for the hundredth time. Sora waited until he was dangerously close to being skewered before twisting low, feeling the man's body whip past as he escaped his sword by a narrow margin. The momentum of the dodge caused his knees to bang hard against the ice upon recovery.

"Hnhh…!" he hissed - the sensitive bone throbbing from constant abuse.

_Sora, look out!_ warned Roxas.

He was coming again from above.

Sora forced his burning muscles to push up with all his will, just in time to twist around – the figure impaled the ice, dangerously close now. Close enough to feel the power coming off of him in waves. The Keybearer used this opportunity to attack, attaching himself to the man in a sort of desperate choke-hold. The ice groaned but he squeezed tighter. Unfortunately, however, his opponent was not fazed, and swiftly freed himself by manipulating Sora's arms and throwing him headlong over his shoulder.

Halfway to landing, Sora screamed.

He froze as if paralyzed upon smacking the ice facedown, a patch of blood soaking into his coat from the new slash running across his back.

Sora's fingers convulsed into fists and he struggled to lift his own weight, his mind attempting to process the searing sting that burrowed its way deep inside him. Everything was painfully numb with the cold, and even now, with the heat he should be generating in such a fight, he felt as if he were dragging his own body around like an exhausted hunk of flesh that wanted nothing more than to fall asleep and never wake up.

_Got to…get up,_ he told himself. _Gotta get up…_

Shaking, his arms obeyed. Sora knew the man was behind him. He took a breath…and then leapt to his feet with just enough time to sidestep the sword and grab its owner's hand. Sora let the man's momentum take him, and in an instant he had his open palm jammed into the small of his back.

"Fire!"

There was a flash of vibrant flame and a satisfying grunt. Sora hunched over breathlessly, thankful for the fleeting warmth of the magical fire as his assailant flapped unsteadily back into the sky.

_Nice one… Now what?_ queried Roxas.

_I don't know,_ replied Sora. _I'm running low on mana, and it's only wearing me out more..._

_Here he comes…!_

Sora grunted and started running, hoping somewhere in the back of his ragged brain that the ice would hold his weight. He kicked with all he had, but his legs were weak as jello and his windpipe was constricting dangerously. He could hear them - the wing beats hunting him down, closer, louder, like the wings of death himself. They came until they consumed his senses, and then there was that moment – that familiar split-second – where he had just an instant to avoid that crimson blade.

He turned hard right, feet slipping out beneath him. Thud. His breath rushed out of his lungs. Then, at the expense of all his energy, he was up again, making a break for the forest where he could summon his Keyblade without attracting heartless to the waterfall. He reached the edge and jumped the final stretch, and just when he thought he'd made, it something rammed him head-on.

It hit him like a freight train, so hard his ribs almost cracked, and before Sora could understand why, it left him hurtling backwards with a stream of red blossoming from his shoulder.

"Gahhh-k…!" he gasped, choking. His vision went double as he fell, and a sickening crack assaulted his ears just before everything turned black…

… And then, with a start, he was awake again. Head pounding, eyes burning, everything aching – everything _screaming_ at him in agony. The cold seeped through his coat and shoes, imbuing his whole body in a chill so bitter and icy that it burned, constricted his joints and slowed every attempt to move. Sora wanted nothing more than to just lie there, but, with several wheezing breaths, managed to tenderly turn over onto one side.

He pressed his hand, gingerly, over the place where the joint of his arm met below his collarbone. The blade had run right through him and out the other side, tearing apart bone and sinew and leaving his arm without feeling. Warmth soaked through his fur coat and bled onto his cold fingers. Sora's lip trembled and tightened at each signal of pain and numbing cold; his breaths were labored. Weakly, he gazed up.

The unknown assailant watched him, not a speck pity in his eyes, and without further hesitance readied another strike. Sora watched as he rose high into the blinding white sky, winging around in a wide circle until he came back towards him. The Keybearer's eyes drooped. He felt so _tired_.

_Roxas… I can't take much more of this… _

…_! Sora, what are you saying?! Get up!_

_I-I'm trying…!_

Sora tried – he really did – but the seconds reached their end and it was impossible for him to avoid what was coming. The man in red had gained so much ferocious speed that his feathers and cloak whipped about as if facing a vengeful storm. Like a bullet he was upon him, the long red sword coming right for his chest. Roxas was stammering Sora's name so loudly, he almost didn't hear his soft and desperate "…Reflect…!"

There was a flash and a pause – and they felt as if time had frozen because there was a suspending thought: that Sora and Roxas wondered if they were still alive. Sora heard a crash and a pained breath, and by the time he reopened his eyes the swordsman was already hurtling back, new scratches and tears adorning his face and coat. The magical shield had returned the damage twofold, and Sora took the opportunity to wrench out a Hi-potion and force down as much of it as possible without gagging. He struggled to his feet even as the flesh and ligaments mended themselves back together, still holding his aching shoulder tightly.

_I'm still here,_ thought Sora. _Though I can't promise for how long._

Sora watched, weary but with determination, as the man recovered several yards away. He looked heavier now, less graceful as he flew toward the waterfall's edge with his one black wing.

_Sora, you can't keep doing this_, pressed Roxas. _Let me out before he attacks again!_

Sora's hand wandered down to the winged heart pendant, his fingers closing around the warm metal as he felt for its usual humming. But, before he had the time to think further, Sora caught a sudden movement from up ahead. It was the flying swordsman; he had flicked his sword in a circle and now hovered, poised as if concentrating as he gradually slid his palm down the blade's shaft. Sora's eyes widened at what he saw – the sword had begun to emit a crimson glow that travelled towards the tip in synch with its wielder's hand. Unfamiliar runic symbols appeared along the flat of the blade, and soon it was completely alight, glowing as if it had been drawn right out of the fiery pits of a forge. He was preparing a special attack.

_No time!_ he told Roxas. _You just went back inside me not long ago; it won't work anyway!_

The man lifted himself higher, holding his magical sword close to his face as he drew it past his shoulder. A field of red energy radiated suddenly from the weapon, making his hair and cloak ripple. Sora took off like a bullet to meet whatever was coming.

_Wait! Sora!_

But Roxas' warning fell on deaf ears. Sora closed the distance by just a few strides before his attacker, who had since raised his sword high, brought the weapon down in a crushing arc. A dozen blazing fire bolts came bursting forth as the man sliced the air, roaring and ripping through the cold at amazing speed, like wrathful dragons out for vengeance.

_He's going to destroy the waterfall!_ realized Sora. The missiles came screaming down with only seconds until impact; no one was going to escape. Sora kicked desperately harder, tuning out everything, even Roxas. He had to get there in time – he only had one shot.

The storm of fire began to converge as it reached its target, the separate stars of flame homing in almost to a point. Sora ran with his eyes fixed above him, judged the distance and speed, and then…leap right up to face the fire head-on. The frigid air bit at his face and eyes as it whipped past, but all at once it was replaced with sudden heat. The red-hot fire filled his ears, his eyes - consuming the sky. He waited until they were only an instant from exploding, and then, "Reflect!"

The colorful shield appeared before him and he heard the projectiles crash, but he had little time to observe because something shot around underneath the barrier. Sora gasped, knowing that it must be another fire ball because it was hot, blistering and brighter than the sun. His freezing body would have welcomed the heat, but it grew, escalated too quickly, burned him deep inside his chest and threw him back.

Sora's drawn-out scream rang high above the sound of the water, shakingly sudden and agonizing, lasting until his shocked body slammed into the ice and slid away. The sheath of ice cracked and rumbled but held, and Sora was left trembling on his back near the water's edge.

_...S…ra!_

His breathing was labored, pained. The fire and the sky had blinded him, left him dazed with eyes squeezed tight.

…_ora!_

His head hurt. His chest hurt, too, and he was so tired. For a moment, he forgot where he was.

…_Sora! _Roxas' voice drifted through the fog. _Sora! Are you okay?_

"Rox…as…" Sora croaked. A golden light began assaulting his vision from the left – somehow it was oddly familiar.

_Why didn't you listen to me? I was going to tell you a better way!_

"Hhnnn-k…!" Sora grimaced and tried to sit up, a broken whine escaping his lips as he did so. His arms began to falter, but they held him long enough for him to notice the man with a single black wing diving like a bird of prey from above. Sora didn't even get the chance to blink, and suddenly he was upon him with blade aimed cruelly at his heart. A white flash overcame his vision…and when it subsided, the Keyblade was in his hands.

The ginger-haired man, whose face was now so close, smiled.

Sora stared at the silvery metal, wondering why he felt such dread at its appearance. And then, warping in out of nowhere, were the heartless. They arrived in all types and sizes, some flying, but others earth-bound. The ice all around him cracked, splitting with a sound so stunning it would make anyone freeze. That strange glow intensified, reflecting on the face of his attacker.

_Sora!_ cried Roxas. _The lion!_

Sora did not even get the chance to comprehend what his Nobody was saying before the light reached critical frequencies and the creature burst out of its own accord. A roar, so bestial and wild it shook his soul, exploded from his arm as he went completely blind.

When he recovered his vision, the man was no longer pressing him to the ice, but instead he was being mauled by the Divine Leo a hundred feet in the air - and rising. Sora scrambled to his knees, saw the heartless and heard the shouts from below.

…_No!_ thought Sora. "N-no…! Go away!"

He banished the Kingdom Key, but they were already here and they weren't leaving. The sheet of ice rumbled and broke apart, and a massive crack ripped its way towards him, split, and left the platform he knelt on as its own separate ice floe. Sora staggered to his feet, but he never even got halfway before his legs buckled. They gave out, and Sora was left heaving for air, failing to stand as the ice below him shifted.

He slumped, re-summoning his Keyblade and driving it into the ice for support. He was moving closer to the edge, that much he could tell, but aside from that he could hold on to little else. Sora was losing his vision in a haze of dark purple blotches, and the sound of shattering ice seemed to drown out everything. His entire upper torso burned horribly, but the rest of him was shivering uncontrollably; the only thing he could think was, "_… No…" _

The connection between he and his Nobody was fading. Roxas would fall asleep, too...

The waterfall raged, crumbled, burst into terrible fragments, and everything, wolf, human and heartless, came crashing down. His platform rushed to its end. Sora only wanted to let go.

For a moment, just before he went over, Sora thought he heard a familiar voice scream "Sora!" and, before he lost consciousness completely, the beating of great wings. Then –

…

…Roaring was all he could hear.

It consumed him, mind and body, and he fell into it.

* * *

**D: Seraaaaah!**

**Axel: Sora**

**Me: Soraaaaaaaa! xD**

**Well, looks like things are happening again. …Bad things… O.o**

**Axel: You're such a weirdo.**

**Me: Ooooh! Ooooh! Guess what time it is now?**

**Axel: Time to shut up?**

**Me: Nope! It's…the 101 reviews milestone celebration!**

**Holy fudge, you guys are awesome! Thanks to all of you, this story reached exactly 101 reviews as of last chapter! AAAAAHHHHH! (starts running into things)**

**Axel: I'll go get the sedatives!**

**ooOoo**

**Fixed typo of the day: "Lucy googled."**

**So? Are you excited for what happens next?! Tell me what you think with a comment! **

**Once again, thanks everyone. See you later (hopefully not several **_**months**_** later).**


End file.
